鱷魚 / 鳄鱼
èyú
The English word "crocodile" is 鱷魚 / 鳄鱼 (èyú) in Chinese. Wiktionary also lists 鰐 / 鳄 (è).
Meaning: reptile (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 鱷魚 / 鳄鱼 | èyú |
| 鰐 / 鳄 | è |
This noun refers to the reptile known as a crocodile.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, both 鱷魚 and 鰐魚 are used to refer to a crocodile.
How do you pronounce it?
èyú
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the crocodile is often associated with the 龍 ('dragon'), as ancient texts sometimes described the dragon as a creature with the physical traits of a crocodile.
- The word 鱷魚 appears in the idiom 鱷魚之淚 ('crocodile tears'), which is a direct loan from the English expression to describe fake grief.
- In Chinese, the suffix 魚 (fish) is applied to many non-fish animals, such as the crocodile or the whale, simply because they are aquatic.
Examples in context
- 这是一只巨大的鳄鱼。This is a giant crocodile.
- 我在动物园看到了一只短吻鳄。I saw a short-snout crocodile at the zoo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crocodile” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
