How to Write 鲗 (zéi) — Meaning “Cuttlefish”

Think of a cuttlefish that squirts ink to write "rules" (则) on the ocean floor. The fish radical on the left reminds you it's a fish, and the right side 则 sounds like the first part of "zebra"—cuttlefish have stripes like a zebra? Actually, just remember "fish + rule = cuttlefish" as a fun association.

Keep the left fish radical (鱼) narrow and the right part 则 a little wider for balance. A common mistake is making the bottom of the fish radical too long, which pushes the 则 too far right. The stroke order follows standard rules: write the fish radical first (8 strokes), then the left side of 则 (贝, 4 strokes), then the right side (刂, 2 strokes).

鲗 (cuttlefish) has the fish radical on the left and 则 on the right. 鱿 (squid) looks similar but has 尤 on the right instead of 则. 鲁 is totally different: it has 鱼 on top and 日 below, and it means "rude" or is a surname—not a seafood animal.

鲗 is not a common word in everyday speech; people often say 墨鱼 (mòyú) or 乌贼 (wūzéi) for "cuttlefish." However, 鲗 appears in the Hong Kong place name 鲗鱼涌 (Zéiyú Yǒng, Quarry Bay). You may also see it in written names like 乌鲗 (wū zéi) for cuttlefish in classical or literary contexts.

Common words containing 鲗 include: 鲗鱼 (zéi yú) — Cuttlefish; 乌鲗 (wū zéi) — cuttlefish; 鲗鱼涌 (zéi yú yǒng) — Quarry Bay (a place in Hong Kong).