海鲜
hǎixiān · HSK 4
seafood
🦐🐟 海鲜 = 海 (sea) + 鲜 (fresh) — fresh from the sea
海 means sea/ocean and 鲜 means fresh, so 海鲜 literally reads as sea-fresh, which is the standard Chinese term for seafood. The 鲜 character itself combines 鱼 (fish) and 羊 (sheep), an old marker of freshness.
海 — water radical 氵 + 每 (phonetic)
海 is a phono-semantic compound. The 氵 (water) radical signals the meaning—a vast body of water—while 每 supplies the sound. Originally referring to the sea or ocean, it later extended figuratively to mean 'vast' or 'a great quantity,' as in 人海 (a sea of people).
鲜 — fish 鱼 + sheep 羊
A compound of 鱼 (fish) and 羊 (sheep), originally referring to a type of fresh fish. The meaning broadened to 'fresh' in general, then extended to 'delicious' and 'rare' (read xiǎn). The fish+sheep pairing reflects two prized fresh foods in early Chinese cuisine.