虫

蟲

chóng

Definitions

chóng (noun) insect; worm; bug

chóng (noun) small creature; lower form of animal life

Etymology

Pictograph of a snake.

Phonetic: 中

About

The traditional character 蟲 stacks three 虫 components, evoking a swarm of bugs or creeping creatures. Its simplified form, 虫, was originally a distinct pictograph of a venomous snake. Today, 虫 broadly denotes insects, worms, and other small creatures, but historically its scope was far wider. In traditional Chinese taxonomy, the term classified nearly all animals, tigers, for instance, were the "supreme striped creature", before narrowing to its modern focus on insects and worms.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)

Bronze etymology image

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal etymology image

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Seal etymology image

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical etymology image

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

草地上有一只虫子。

Cǎo dì shàng yǒu yī zhī chóng zi.

There is a bug on the grass.

姐姐非常害怕毛毛虫。

Jiějie fēicháng hàipà máomáochóng.

My older sister is very afraid of caterpillars.

蝴蝶是一种美丽的昆虫。

Húdié shì yī zhǒng měilì de kūnchóng.

The butterfly is a beautiful type of insect.

这种寄生虫危害健康。

Zhè zhǒng jìshēngchóng wēihài jiànkāng.

This kind of parasite is harmful to health.

夏夜的萤火虫闪闪发光。

Xià yè de yínghuǒchóng shǎnshǎn fā guāng.

The fireflies glow on a summer night.

被蜱虫叮咬后要及时处理。

Bèi píchóng dīngyǎo hòu yào jíshí chǔlǐ.

You must deal with it promptly after a tick bite.

血吸虫病是一种寄生虫病。

Xuèxīchóng bìng shì yī zhǒng jìshēngchóng bìng.

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease.

注意饮食卫生可以预防蛔虫。

Zhùyì yǐnshí wèishēng kěyǐ yùfáng huíchóng.

Paying attention to food hygiene can prevent roundworms.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 虫

Example Words