How to Write 鱼 (yú) — Meaning “Fish”

Imagine the top part (⺈) as a fish's open mouth, the vertical line as its backbone, and the three short horizontal strokes as fins or scales. The final long horizontal line at the bottom is the fish's tail. This "fish body" image helps you recall both the shape and the meaning.

Stroke order: 1. left-falling (丿), 2. horizontal hook (㇇), 3. vertical (丨), 4. horizontal fold (㇉), then three short horizontals (5,6,7), and finally a long horizontal (8). Common mistakes include adding an extra horizontal line or making the bottom too narrow; the last stroke should be the longest to balance the character.

Common words include 鱼肉 (yú ròu, fish meat), 钓鱼 (diào yú, to go fishing), and 金鱼 (jīn yú, goldfish). You use 鱼肉 when talking about food or cooking, 钓鱼 for the hobby or sport of fishing, and 金鱼 for the popular aquarium pet.

In daily life, 鱼 appears in menus, pet stores, and fishing activities. Culturally, fish symbolizes abundance and surplus because 鱼 (yú) sounds like 余 (yú, meaning "extra" or "surplus"). This is why fish dishes are often served during Chinese New Year to wish for prosperity.

Common words containing 鱼 include: 鱼肉 (yú ròu) — Fish meat; 钓鱼 (diào yú) — To fish / Fishing; 金鱼 (jīn yú) — Goldfish (Simplified).