人魚 / 人鱼
rényú
The English word 'mermaid' is translated into Chinese as 人魚 / 人鱼 (rényú). Wiktionary also lists 美人魚 / 美人鱼 (měirényú).
Meaning: mythological woman with a fish’s tail (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 人魚 / 人鱼 | rényú |
| 美人魚 / 美人鱼 | měirényú |
In Chinese, both terms refer to the mythological woman with a fish's tail. While 人魚 / 人鱼 is a direct translation, 美人魚 / 美人鱼 is the more standard term used in literature and pop culture to refer to the creature.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 人魚 / 人鱼 is composed of 人 (human) and 魚 (fish).
Which one should you use?
人魚 / 人鱼 is a literal construction, whereas 美人魚 / 美人鱼 is more descriptive, literally meaning 'beautiful person fish'.
How do you pronounce it?
rényú
Did you know?
- In traditional Chinese folklore, the 人魚 was sometimes depicted as having a human torso but a fish head, rather than the classic European mermaid appearance.
- In some traditional Chinese folk tales, the mermaid is not a beautiful maiden but a creature called 鲛人 / 鲛人, which is said to produce silk from its tears.
- The term 人魚 is shared with Japanese, where it historically referred to a creature whose flesh could grant immortality.
Examples in context
- 在中国的传说中，人鱼通常是美丽、有魔力的生物。In Chinese folklore, mermaids are often depicted as beautiful and magical creatures.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mermaid” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
