逆戟鯨 / 逆戟鲸
nìjǐjīng
The English word orca is translated into Chinese as 逆戟鯨 / 逆戟鲸 (nìjǐjīng). Wiktionary also lists 虎鯨 / 虎鲸 (hǔjīng) and 殺人鯨 / 杀人鲸 (shārénjīng).
Meaning: ''Orcinus orca'' (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 逆戟鯨 / 逆戟鲸 | nìjǐjīng |
| 虎鯨 / 虎鲸 | hǔjīng |
| 殺人鯨 / 杀人鲸 | shārénjīng |
What does it mean word for word?
The term 虎鯨 / 虎鲸 (hǔjīng) literally means 'tiger whale', while the term 殺人鯨 / 杀人鲸 (shārénjīng) literally means 'killer whale'.
How do you pronounce it?
nìjǐjīng
Did you know?
- The term 逆戟鯨 / 逆戟鲸 (nìjǐjīng) is remarkably specific, as it literally translates to 'reverse halberd whale'.
- The simplified character 鲸 and traditional character 鯨 both contain the 'fish' radical 魚 / 鱼, but they are used in a language where whales are conceptually grouped with fish rather than mammals in traditional folk taxonomy.
- The nickname 虎鯨 / 虎鲸 (hǔjīng), meaning 'tiger whale', is often chosen in Chinese children's literature to avoid the violent connotations of the word 'killer'.
Examples in context
- 在動物園裡，你可以看到齒鯨的表演。In the zoo, you can watch a performance by orcas.
- 他們稱這種鯨魚為虎鯨，因為它像老虎一樣勇猛。They call this type of whale hǔjīng because it is as fierce as a tiger.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “orca” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
