About
The character 鲸 (jīng) is a phono-semantic compound, with the fish radical 鱼 (yú) on the left indicating an aquatic creature and the phonetic component 京 (jīng) on the right. Its traditional form, 鯨, uses the traditional radical 魚. The component 京, meaning capital or immense, also hints at the whale's massive size. This design reflects the ancient classification of whales as giant fish. The character specifically denotes whales, and in classical texts, it is sometimes used metaphorically in compounds to describe something exceptionally large, powerful, or predatory.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
蓝鲸是很大的动物。
我在海洋馆见过鲸鱼。
这头鲸的叫声很特别。
科学家正在研究鲸的行为。
鲸鱼用肺呼吸，不是用鳃。
那片海域是鲸群的迁徙路线。
过度捕鲸曾使许多鲸类濒危。
一头鲸的死亡会形成深海鲸落生态系统。