蜗

蝸

wō

呙 + 虫

Definitions

wō snail; Taiwan pr. [guā]; see 蝸牛|蜗牛[wō niú]

Etymology phono-semantic

mollusk

Semantic: 虫 Phonetic: 呙

About

The simplified character 蜗 (traditional: 蝸) is a phono-semantic compound: the insect radical 虫 (chóng) indicates a creature, and the phonetic element 呙 (guō), simplified from 咼, supplies the sound. Its sole meaning has always been 'snail,' a land-dwelling gastropod with a coiled external shell. The snail's proverbial slowness and cramped shell have given the character metaphorical uses for extreme sluggishness or confined, humble dwellings, as in 蜗牛 (snail) and 蜗居 ('snail dwelling'), a term for a tiny, modest, and restricted apartment.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

花园里有一只蜗牛。

Huāyuán lǐ yǒu yī zhī wō niú.

There is a snail in the garden.

蜗牛爬得很慢。

Wō niú pá dé hěn màn.

The snail crawls very slowly.

下雨后，蜗牛出来了。

Xià yǔ hòu, wō niú chūlái le.

After rain, snails come out.

他的蜗居很小但温馨。

Tā de wō jū hěn xiǎo dàn wēnxīn.

His small dwelling is tiny but cozy.

蜗牛背着重重的壳。

Wō niú bēi zhe zhòngzhòng de ké.

The snail carries a heavy shell.

在都市中，许多人只能蜗居在斗室。

Zài dūshì zhōng, xǔduō rén zhǐ néng wō jū zài dǒu shì.

In the city, many people can only live in tiny rooms.

蜗杆传动机构常用于机械设计。

Wō gǎn chuándòng jīgòu cháng yòng yú jīxiè shèjì.

Worm gear transmission mechanisms are often used in mechanical design.

科学家研究蜗牛的黏液以开发新材料。

Kēxuéjiā yánjiū wō niú de niányè yǐ kāifā xīn cáiliào.

Scientists study snail mucus to develop new materials.

Related Characters

Component: 呙

Component: 虫

蜗