鲜
xiǎn , xiān , xiǎn · HSK 4
fish
🐟 鲜 = 鱼 (fish) + 羊 (sheep); old variant means fresh/fish
Decomposition: 鱼 fish + 羊 sheep — the classic 'fresh' compound. This character is an old variant of 鮮/鲜, covering both xiān (fresh) and xiǎn (rare) readings; the fish+sheep pairing is the etymology shorthand.
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.