钓

釣
diào
verb #4,114

Meanings

  1. 1 to fish (with a hook and line)
  2. 2 to angle

Examples

HSK 3
Yéye xǐhuan zhōumò qù diàoyú.
Grandpa likes to go fishing on weekends.
HSK 5
Tā zài húbiān diào le yì tiáo dàyú.
He caught a big fish by the lake.

Tips

usage
钓 specifically means fishing with a hook and line (angling). For fishing with a net, use 捕鱼 or 打鱼. The most common combination is 钓鱼 (to fish).
memory
钓 has the metal radical 钅 (gold) on the left, suggesting a metal hook, and 勺 (ladle/scoop) on the right - scooping up fish with a metal hook.

Components

radical
钅 jīn
metal; gold (radical form)
Left metal radical - the contracted left-side form of 金. Anchors 钓 in the metal hook used for angling. Many fishing-related characters share this radical because the hook, swivel and lures are metal. Same family: 钩 (hook), 锚 (anchor), 钉 (nail), 锈 (rust).
phonetic
勺 sháo
ladle; spoon
Right 勺 supplies the sound (sháo drifted to diào). The character itself depicts a ladle scooping liquid; here the curved shape also evokes a fishhook, giving a useful 'metal hook scooping fish out' mnemonic. Same phonetic family: 约, 的, 酌.

Stroke Order

钓 diào