蝦 / 虾
xiā
The Mandarin word for prawn is 蝦 / 虾, pronounced xiā. Wiktionary also lists 明蝦 / 明虾 (míngxiā) and 對蝦 / 对虾 (duìxiā).
Meaning: large shrimp (noun)
Ways to say it
| Mandarin | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 蝦 / 虾 | xiā |
| 明蝦 / 明虾 | míngxiā |
| 對蝦 / 对虾 | duìxiā |
The word 蝦 / 虾 means shrimp.
Which one should you use?
There are specific types: 明蝦 / 明虾 (míngxiā) and 對蝦 / 对虾 (duìxiā).
How do you pronounce it?
xiā
Did you know?
- The character 蝦 / 虾 shares a linguistic root with the word 霞, which refers to 'rosy clouds'.
- The character for 蝦 / 虾 contains the radical 虫, which means 'insect'. In ancient Chinese classification, shrimp and prawns were grouped together with insects and worms.
- In Chinese culture, the word 蝦 / 虾 is often associated with 'luck' and 'happiness' in certain regional dialects or puns, appearing in festive dishes during Lunar New Year.
Example sentences for Mandarin are not verified yet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “prawn” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 蝦, CC BY-SA 4.0.
