Definitions
to sting
Etymology
About
The character 蠚 (hē or huò) is a phono-semantic compound meaning "to sting", specifically describing the venomous bite of insects or arthropods like bees and scorpions. Its semantic radical, 虫 (chóng) at the bottom, classifies the action within the domain of insects. The upper component 𦰩 (hē) primarily indicates the pronunciation. Historically, 蠚 referred precisely to venom injection, distinguishing it from general mammalian bites. Due to its specificity, the character appeared mainly in nature descriptions, medical texts on stings, or poetic metaphors for sharp pain. Over time, it became a rare variant, largely replaced in standard usage by the more common and structurally simpler character 螫 (shì) for the verb "to sting", leaving 蠚 chiefly in classical dictionaries.