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climbing perch

climbing perch

8.7
A small freshwater fish that can breathe air and move on land using its pointed fins
  • noun
  • /ˈklaɪmɪŋ pɜːrtʃ/
  • Indian
translation icon : pez trepador
  • Biologists study how the climbing perch travels short distances on land using its spiny fins.

Examples

  • A fisherman spotted a climbing perch moving across the muddy bank to reach another pond.

  • I saw a climbing perch in the aquarium.

  • The climbing perch can survive out of water for several hours by breathing air through its gills.

  • The climbing perch is a fascinating fish.

  • A fisherman spotted a climbing perch moving across the muddy bank to reach another pond.

  • Biologists study how the climbing perch travels short distances on land using its spiny fins.

  • The climbing perch can survive out of water for several hours by breathing air through its gills.

Synonyms

perch
vsclimbing perch
8 4.2

A freshwater fish with sharp fins that lives in lakes and rivers

is a specific air breathing freshwater species rather than a general fish group
A. testudineus
vsclimbing perch
  • Specialized
9.9

A small freshwater fish from South and Southeast Asia that breathes air and can move on land with spiny fins

is the common regional name rather than the formal scientific label
Anabas testudineus
vsclimbing perch
  • Specialized
9.9

A small freshwater fish from India and Southeast Asia that breathes air and moves on land with spiny fins

is the same species but given in general descriptive terms not just name

Surface Forms

Morphology

climb + perch

The compound 'climbing perch' is literally a perch (a fish) modified by 'climbing', so a learner who knows 'climb' and 'perch' can reasonably infer it is a fish that climbs or moves on land. This is a straightforward, compositional noun phrase following normal English modifier + noun patterns, making the meaning predictable to a B1 learner.

Etymology

Climbing perch comes from the clear image of a small fish seeming to climb muddy banks with its spiky fins while moving between ponds, and perch is a common fish name. That's why the name shows it can 'breathe air' and 'travel short distances on land'.