黽
contributes the sense of frogs · Kangxi radical 205
contributes the sense of frogs, toads, and other squat, wide-bodied creatures
黽 began as a picture of a frog or toad seen from above: a small head with two bulging eyes at the top, a broad rounded belly in the middle, and legs splayed out to the sides. In the modern character you can still read that layout top to bottom — the short strokes and box at the top are the head and eyes, the enclosed middle is the fat body, and the two legs at the bottom end in a wide, sprawling hook. Because the picture was of a squat crouching animal, 黽 was reused in the names of related wide-bodied creatures such as turtles, alligators, and flies. Its use in 鼂 is not about frogs, and the reason it was chosen there is unclear.
黽 at a glance
- Meaning
- contributes the sense of frogs
- Strokes
- 13
- Characters
- 7
- Role
- Usually contributes meaning
- Kangxi radical
- 205
Characters with 黽 (1 of 7)
Beyond HSK · 1
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 黽 mean?
黽 means "contributes the sense of frogs". In the characters that contain it, it usually contributes meaning.
How many Chinese characters contain 黽?
7 characters in this dictionary contain 黽.
Is 黽 a radical?
Yes — 黽 is Kangxi radical 205, one of the 214 traditional indexing radicals used to organise Chinese dictionaries.
How many strokes does 黽 have?
黽 is written in 13 strokes.