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The character 鲵 is a phono-semantic compound. Its left component, the fish radical 鱼 (traditional 魚), places it among aquatic creatures and fish-like animals, while the right component 倪 (ní) supplies the sound. The character names the giant salamander, an amphibian that dwells in freshwater streams and is known in Chinese as the 'infant fish' because of its arresting vocalizations. In its traditional form, 鯢, the full fish radical is used; both forms function exclusively as the name of this species in zoological texts, scientific documentation, and classical records describing regional aquatic fauna.
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