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蚍 is a phono-semantic compound: the left component is the insect radical 虫, and the right component is the phonetic 比 (bǐ). The 虫 radical places the character in the semantic field of insects and small invertebrates. It is almost always used in the disyllabic word 蚍蜉, meaning a large ant. Thus, the radical provides the categorical meaning, while 比 supplies the sound. This type of structure, a meaning radical plus a phonetic, is the most common way to create characters for organisms.
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