Whale = 鲸鱼 [Jīng yú]

Seen from above, a huge dark shape glides just under the surface beside a tiny sail. That shadow, far bigger than the boat, is a 鲸鱼.

鲸鱼 (jīng yú) means “whale.” 鲸 is the character for whale, and 鱼 means fish. A whale is not a fish, but the everyday word keeps 鱼 anyway.

Count whales with the measure word 头 (tóu): 一头鲸鱼 (yì tóu jīngyú), one whale.

鲸鱼不是鱼。 — Jīngyú bú shì yú. — A whale is not a fish.

我们看到了一头鲸鱼。 — Wǒmen kàndào le yì tóu jīngyú. — We saw a whale.