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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "shark" in Chinese?
鲨鱼
shā yú
In Chinese, "shark" is 鲨鱼 (shā yú).
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Pronunciation
Aim for "shā yú" when you say it, "shā" is flat and level, held steady (tone 1), then "yú" is rising sharply like a question (tone 2).
Writing and usage
鲨鱼 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
一条鲨鱼缓缓在船底盘旋。
yī tiáo shā yú huǎn huǎn zài chuán dǐ pán xuán 。
A shark circled slowly beneath the boat.
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How to remember 鲨鱼
Notice how "shā yú" rolls off the tongue, and tie that feeling to a quick mental picture of "鲨鱼" (shā yú).
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 鲨鱼
How do you pronounce 鲨鱼?
Aim for "shā yú" when you say it, "shā" is flat and level, held steady (tone 1), then "yú" is rising sharply like a question (tone 2).
Is 鲨鱼 formal or casual?
鲨鱼 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 鲨鱼 used in Chinese?
鲨鱼 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 一条鲨鱼缓缓在船底盘旋。 (A shark circled slowly beneath the boat.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
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"Shark" in other languages
Curated by Jack Ratcliffe
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