鲤鱼 (lǐyú) · carp, common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Measure Word

一条鲤鱼 tiáo

Meanings

1 carp
2 common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

About the ingredient

水产 Fish and seafood

A big-scaled freshwater fish, farmed in China more than anywhere, with many fine bones and sometimes a muddy taste. Shandong deep-fries it whole under sweet and sour sauce; parts of Guangdong cook it with its scales on.

Contains fish

Also called 鲤

Used in 3 dishes

糖醋鲤鱼 tángcù lǐyú

酸汤鱼 suāntāngyú

龙凤汤 lóngfèngtāng

Characters

Examples

HSK 5

他在河里钓了一条大鲤鱼。

Tā zài hé lǐ diào le yìtiáo dà lǐyú.

He caught a big carp in the river.

HSK 7-9

春节期间，鲤鱼象征着好运和繁荣。

Chūnjié qījiān, lǐyú xiàngzhēng zhe hǎoyùn hé fánróng.

During Spring Festival, carp symbolizes good luck and prosperity.

Tips

culture

鲤鱼跳龙门 (the carp leaps through the Dragon Gate) is a famous Chinese idiom describing a dramatic rise in social status - as if a carp had transformed into a dragon by jumping over the legendary dragon gate waterfall. It is a symbol of perseverance and advancement through hardship.