About
The character "鳌" derives from its traditional form "鰲", which combines the phonetic element "敖" with the semantic radical "魚" to classify it as a fish or aquatic creature, originally denoting a mythical giant sea turtle from Chinese legend. This mythical entity was believed to bear the weight of the world, and the term later broadened to refer to large turtles or sea turtles in general. The simplified form "鳌" maintains the "敖" component but substitutes the "魚" radical with its simplified variant "鱼". While its core meaning remains tied to these large aquatic beings, the character acquired a figurative use in idioms like "独占鳌头", where it symbolizes coming in first, an allusion to the top scholar's position on an ao turtle statue in historical examination rituals.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
传说东海有神鳌。
这座鳌山是元宵灯会的亮点。
他力大无穷，仿佛能独占鳌头。
公园里新立了一座巨鳌的雕塑。
古代神话中，鳌曾背负着仙山。
在竞赛中独占鳌头是他的目标。
这座岛屿的形状好似一只浮出海面的鳌。
他的研究在学术界已占据鳌头多年。