蜘

zhī

知 + 虫

Frequency#3043

Definitions

zhī used in 蜘蛛[zhī zhū]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 知 represents the sound.

Semantic: 虫 Phonetic: 知

About

The character "蜘" exists solely within the compound "蜘蛛" meaning spider, formed as a phono-semantic construct with the radical "虫" denoting a creature or insect and the component "知" serving as a phonetic indicator for the syllable "zhī". This character was created to fix the first syllable of the disyllabic word for spider, with "蛛" completing it, and its structure has remained consistent since its adoption. While "蜘" itself carries no independent meaning, the term "蜘蛛" has continuously referred to the arachnid without semantic shift or expansion.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

蜘蛛在爬行。

Zhīzhū zài páxíng.

The spider is crawling.

树上有一只蜘蛛。

Shù shàng yǒu yī zhī zhīzhū.

There is a spider on the tree.

那只蜘蛛织了一张网。

Nà zhī zhīzhū zhīle yī zhāng wǎng.

That spider spun a web.

蜘蛛网粘住了小虫子。

Zhīzhūwǎng zhān zhùle xiǎo chóngzi.

The spider web caught a small insect.

孩子们害怕黑色的蜘蛛。

Háizimen hàipà hēisè de zhīzhū.

Children are afraid of black spiders.

蜘蛛利用丝线捕捉猎物。

Zhīzhū lìyòng sīxiàn bǔzhuō lièwù.

Spiders use silk to catch prey.

科学家研究蜘蛛的习性。

Kēxuéjiā yánjiū zhīzhū de xíxìng.

Scientists study the habits of spiders.

在阴暗的角落里，蜘蛛静静地等待。

Zài yīn'àn de jiǎolǐ, zhīzhū jìngjìng de děngdài.

In the dark corner, the spider waits quietly.

Related Characters

Component: 知

Component: 虫

蜘