About
The character for crocodile, now written as 鳄, originated from the traditional form 鱷, which semantically combined the fish radical 魚 with the phonetic element 咢 to conceptually associate the reptile with aquatic environments. Over time, the character's structure adapted graphically, replacing the specific fish radical with the more general creature marker 虫, while preserving the phonetic component, thus streamlining the character without altering its fundamental sound or reference to crocodilian species. This transition from a water-focused radical to a broader animal classifier reflects a pattern in the writing system where semantic indicators are sometimes generalized for practical purposes, yet the character's meaning has remained consistently tied to the crocodile throughout its documented use.
Example Sentences Hide
这是一条鳄鱼。
小心水里有鳄鱼。
鳄鱼是一种古老的动物。
动物园里有一条大鳄鱼。
美洲鳄生活在佛罗里达州。
他的眼泪被称作鳄鱼的眼泪。
这个名牌包是用鳄鱼皮制成的。
鳄鱼在湿地生态系统中扮演着关键角色。