三文魚 / 三文鱼
sānwényú
In Chinese, salmon is called 三文魚 / 三文鱼 (sānwényú). If unsure, use 三文魚 / 三文鱼. Wiktionary also lists 鮭魚 / 鲑鱼 (guīyú).
Meaning: fish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 三文魚 / 三文鱼 | sānwényú |
| 鮭魚 / 鲑鱼 | guīyú |
This term is primarily used to refer to salmon in culinary contexts, such as when ordering salmon sashimi or buying a salmon steak.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 三文魚 literally translates to 'three-text-fish', where 三 means 'three', 文 means 'text/writing' and 魚 means 'fish', acting as a phonetic approximation of the English word.
Which one should you use?
三文魚 / 三文鱼 is a phonetic transliteration of the English word 'salmon'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
三文魚 / 三文鱼 is common in informal or culinary settings, particularly in restaurants and grocery stores, to describe the food product.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The transliterated form 三文魚 is frequently used in Hong Kong, Taiwan and among overseas Chinese communities, as well as appearing often on international Chinese menus.
How do you pronounce it?
sānwényú
Did you know?
- While the term refers to 'salmon', the phrase 三文 on its own can refer to 'three cents' in certain historical contexts involving currency.
- In mainland China, the term 三文魚 is often associated specifically with the imported Atlantic salmon used in sushi, rather than native species.
- The term 三文魚 likely entered the language through Cantonese or Shanghainese speakers who had more frequent trade contact with the West.
Examples in context
- 我要一份三文鱼I would like a portion of salmon.
- 请给我来一盘淡水鲑鱼Please bring me a plate of freshwater salmon.
- 你喜欢吃三文鱼吗？Do you like to eat salmon?
- 我最喜欢的日本菜是鲑鱼寿司。My favorite Japanese dish is salmon sushi.
- 昨天晚上我们家做了一道美味的烤三文鱼。Yesterday evening, we made a delicious grilled salmon at home.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “salmon” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 三文魚, CC BY-SA 4.0.
