蠕

蝡
rú
虫 + 需

Definitions

rú variant of 蠕[rú]
rú to squirm; to wiggle; to wriggle; Taiwan pr. [ruǎn]

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 需 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蝡.

Semantic: 虫 Phonetic: 需

About

蠕 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 虫 (insect, worm) indicates the semantic category, and 需 provides the sound. It is the simplified form of 蝡. The character originally describes the slow, wriggling movement of worms and caterpillars. In modern medical terminology, it refers to wave-like muscular contractions, such as peristalsis in the digestive tract, extending the worm-like motion to involuntary physiological processes.

Example Sentences Hide

蚯蚓在泥土中蠕动。

Qiūyǐn zài nítǔ zhōng rúdòng.

Earthworms wriggle in the soil.

毛毛虫缓慢地蠕动。

Máomáochóng huǎnmàn de rúdòng.

The caterpillar wriggles slowly.

他的胃在蠕动。

Tā de wèi zài rúdòng.

His stomach is peristalsing.

昆虫的幼虫正在蠕动。

Kūnchóng de yòuchóng zhèngzài rúdòng.

The insect larvae are wriggling.

蠕动的生物让我感到恶心。

Rúdòng de shēngwù ràng wǒ gǎndào ěxīn.

Wriggling creatures make me feel nauseous.

肠道蠕动有助于消化。

Chángdào rúdòng yǒu zhù yú xiāohuà.

Intestinal peristalsis aids digestion.

显微镜下能看到细胞蠕动。

Xiǎnwēijìng xià néng kàndào xìbāo rúdòng.

Under the microscope, you can see cells wriggling.

在潮湿的森林里，各种蠕虫缓慢蠕动。

Zài cháoshī de sēnlín lǐ, gè zhǒng rúchóng huǎnmàn rúdòng.

In the damp forest, various worms wriggle slowly.

Related Characters

Component: 虫

虽 独 触 融 虫 蛋 蛇 蜂 蜜 蛮 虹 蝶 螺 蚁

Component: 需

儒 懦 孺 嚅 糯 濡 繻 薷 襦 颥 臑 顬 壖 嬬

Example Words

蠕动 蠕虫 蠕蠕 蠕变