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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "clam" in Chinese?
蛤蜊
gé lì
In Chinese, "clam" is 蛤蜊.
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Pronunciation
Gé (high rising tone, almost like a question) lì (high falling tone). Rise on 'guh', then drop on 'lee'.
Writing and usage
Two characters. 蛤 has 12 strokes and the insect radical. 蜊 has 14 strokes, also with the insect radical. Together they form the word for clam.
Example sentence
蛤蜊的壳很硬。
Clam shells are very hard.
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How to remember 蛤蜊
Both characters have the insect radical, which is funny because clams are not insects. The double use of the radical marks this as a shellfish duo.
Related words
- bucket 桶 tǒng
- crab 螃蟹 páng xiè
- crate 板条箱 bǎn tiáo xiāng
- dolphin 海豚 hǎi tún
- lobster 龙虾 lóng xiā
- metal 金属 jīn shǔ
- sea horse 海马 hǎi mǎ
- sea otter 海獭 hǎi tǎ
- seafood 海鲜 hǎi xiān
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 蛤蜊
How do you say "clam" in Chinese?
In Chinese, "clam" is 蛤蜊. It is a noun.
How is 蛤蜊 written in Chinese?
Two characters. 蛤 has 12 strokes and the insect radical. 蜊 has 14 strokes, also with the insect radical. Together they form the word for clam.
How is 蛤蜊 used in a sentence?
Use 蛤蜊 as you would use the equivalent noun in English. For example: 蛤蜊的壳很硬。 (Clam shells are very hard.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"Clam" in other languages
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