鰻魚 / 鳗鱼
mányú
The English word "eel" is translated into Chinese as 鰻魚 / 鳗鱼 (mányú). If unsure, use 鰻魚 / 鳗鱼. Wiktionary also lists 鰻 / 鳗 (mán) and 鱔魚 / 鳝鱼 (shànyú).
Meaning: any fish of the order Anguilliformes (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 鰻魚 / 鳗鱼 | mányú |
| 鰻 / 鳗 | mán |
| 鱔魚 / 鳝鱼 | shànyú |
| 䱇 /𱇞 | shàn |
In Chinese, the term used depends on whether you are referring to true eels or the commercially common swamp eels. Use 鰻魚 / 鳗鱼 for fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes. Use 鱔魚 / 鳝鱼 for swamp eels, which are often found in mud or freshwater and are a common staple in Asian cuisine.
Which one should you use?
There is a biological and culinary distinction between the available terms. 鰻魚 / 鳗鱼 (mányú) refers specifically to true eels of the order Anguilliformes.
How does it change in a sentence?
You may see shortened versions of these words. The single character 鳗 (mán) acts as a shorthand for 鳗鱼 and can appear in compound words or on menus. Similarly, the single character 鳝 (shàn) can be used as a shorthand for 鳝鱼.
How do you pronounce it?
mányú
Did you know?
- The word 鰻 shares an ancient linguistic root with the Burmese word for 'shark' ငါးမန်း (nga:man:).
- The character 鰻 (mán) uses the component 曼 (màn), which historically carries meanings of 'long' or 'extended', visually mirroring the elongated shape of the eel.
- In traditional Chinese culture, 鱔魚 (shànyú) is prized as a medicinal food and is frequently used in tonic soups to boost vitality and energy.
Examples in context
- 我非常喜欢吃鳗鱼。I really enjoy eating eel.
- 让我们一起去尝尝那家鳗鱼餐厅的菜。Let's go together to taste the dishes at that eel restaurant.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “eel” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 鰻, CC BY-SA 4.0.
