鴨 / 鸭
yā
In Chinese, the word for duck can be expressed in several ways depending on the dialect and context. The default form is 鴨 / 鸭 (yā). Wiktionary also lists 鴨子 / 鸭子 (yāzi).
Meaning: aquatic bird of the family Anatidae (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 鴨 / 鸭 | yā | |
| 鴨子 / 鸭子 | yāzi | |
| 鴨 / 鸭 | ah | Hokkien |
The term 鴨子 / 鸭子 is used to denote a duck in general.
Which one should you use?
While 鴨 / 鸭 is the root word for duck, it is often used in compound words, such as 'duck egg', rather than standing alone in casual conversation. In everyday speech, 鴨子 / 鸭子 is the preferred way to refer to the animal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Hokkien, you can use 鴨 / 鸭 (ah) and in Dungan, the word is язы (iazɨ).
How does it change in a sentence?
The form 鴨子 / 鸭子 (yāzi) is the most common way to refer to a duck in spoken Mandarin, utilizing the noun suffix 子 (zi) to create a two-syllable noun.
How do you pronounce it?
The Hokkien form 鴨 / 鸭 is pronounced as ah.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, the word 鴨 / 鸭 can be used to refer to a 'male prostitute', a meaning entirely unrelated to the bird.
- Dungan, a language based on Mandarin but written in Cyrillic, uses the form язы to say 'duck'.
- Ancient texts suggest the name 鴨 / 鸭 might actually be an onomatopoeia, mimicking the sound a duck makes.
Examples in context
- 我喜欢吃烤鸭。(Wǒ xǐhuān chī kǎoyā.)I like to eat roast duck.
- 他在湖边看到了一只鸭子。(Tā zài hú biān kàndào le yī zhī yāzi.)He saw a duck by the lake.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “duck” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 鴨, CC BY-SA 4.0.
