鱿鱼 (yóuyú) · squid, calamari

Measure Word

一条鱿鱼 tiáo

Meanings

1 squid
2 calamari

About the ingredient

水产 Fish and seafood

Sold fresh, frozen or dried, with a mild taste and a springy bite. Stir-fried for a minute or two, or grilled whole at street stalls and cut up with cumin and chili; cooked too long it turns tough.

Contains shellfish

Used in 7 dishes

Characters

Examples

HSK 1

她不喜欢吃鱿鱼。

Tā bù xǐhuan chī yóuyú.

She doesn't like eating squid.

HSK 5

老板炒了他的鱿鱼。

Lǎobǎn chǎo le tā de yóuyú.

The boss fired him.

HSK 6

烤鱿鱼是很受欢迎的街头小吃。

Kǎo yóuyú shì hěn shòu huānyíng de jiētóu xiǎochī.

Grilled squid is a very popular street snack.

Tips

culture

炒鱿鱼 (to stir-fry squid) is a common slang expression meaning 'to fire someone' or 'to get fired.' The idiom comes from the fact that squid curls up when fried, resembling someone rolling up their bedding to leave - which is what workers in old Guangdong did when dismissed.

usage

Don't confuse 鱿鱼 (squid) with 章鱼 (octopus) or 墨鱼 (cuttlefish). 烤鱿鱼 (grilled squid on a stick) is one of China's most iconic street foods.