蛋

• Pinyin: dàn
• Hanzi breakdown: 蛋 = 虫 (insect radical, bottom) + phonetic component (top)

Meaning

Egg. A general term for eggs, most commonly chicken eggs.

Usually refers to chicken eggs by default. Often combined with the animal name for specificity: 鸡蛋 (chicken egg), 鸭蛋 (duck egg). Also appears in many food-related compounds like 蛋糕 (cake) and 蛋炒饭 (egg fried rice).

Examples

1. 早饭我吃了两个蛋。 I ate two eggs for breakfast.
2. 妈妈用蛋做了一个好吃的蛋糕。 Mom used eggs to make a delicious cake.
3. 冰箱里还有几个蛋？ How many eggs are left in the fridge?

Usage Guide

Context: food, cooking, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我要买一盒鸡蛋。(I want to buy a box of eggs.)
• 你喜欢吃煎蛋还是煮蛋？(Do you prefer fried or boiled eggs?)

Don't Say

• 不要在餐厅只说'一个蛋' — in restaurants, specify the egg type or dish: say 鸡蛋 (chicken egg) or the dish name; 蛋 alone is fine casually but too vague when ordering.

Origin & History

Originally referred to any kind of egg. The character contains the 虫 (insect) radical, reflecting the ancient understanding that eggs were laid by creatures including insects and reptiles.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal