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蜎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蜎yuānmosquito larvazg, 13 strokes, radical 虫
蜎yuānsurname Yuanunknown, 13 strokes, radical 虫
yuān(Yuan1) T1
  1. 1mosquito larva
Also a Chinese surname, Yuan — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蜎yuān(Yuan1)

The character 蜎 (yuān) refers primarily to mosquito larvae, which are the aquatic immature forms of mosquitoes. It can also be a surname, Yuan. In usage, it's important to note its specific context as it relates to entomology and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation.

Strokes13Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, mosquitoes are often associated with summer and the rainy season, when they breed. The mention of mosquito larvae in literature or conversation may evoke discussions about health and pest control, reflecting societal concerns.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small, slimy creature swimming in water, like a tiny larva. The character 蜎 has the radical for insect (虫) on the left, which helps you remember it relates to insects, while the right side looks like a swimming motion. Picture a 'yuan' (元) coin being tossed into water, creating ripples where these larvae live.

Meanings of 蜎

yuān(Yuan1)
1mosquito larva
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蜎

蜎Simplified
13Strokes
虫Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蜎

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Podcast: 蜎

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AI Study Notes for 蜎

Usage Notes

When discussing insects, particularly in scientific contexts, use 蜎 to specify the larval stage of mosquitoes. It's not used in casual conversation, and learners might confuse it with similar-sounding words. Ensure correct pronunciation; the tone is essential.

HSK Study Tips

While this character is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to the broader theme of insects in HSK levels 2 and 3, where students learn basic animal-related vocabulary. Focus on the pronunciation and the insect radical to help remember its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 蜎 with other insect-related words like 蚊 (wén) for mosquito. Remember that 蜎 specifically refers to the larval stage, while 蚊 denotes the adult mosquito.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蜎

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Etymology of 蜎

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

insect

Semantic (meaning)虫
+
Phonetic (sound)肙
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蜎

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half肙 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayinsect
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 蜎? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蜎?

Decomposition of 蜎

IDS Structure⿰虫肙
蜎Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
肙yuan4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蜎?

How to say mosquito larva in Chinese

“mosquito larva” in Chinese is蜎yuān

The character 蜎 (yuān) refers primarily to mosquito larvae, which are the aquatic immature forms of mosquitoes. It can also be a surname, Yuan. In usage, it's important to note its specific context as it relates to entomology and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation.

When to use 蜎

When discussing insects, particularly in scientific contexts, use 蜎 to specify the larval stage of mosquitoes. It's not used in casual conversation, and learners might confuse it with similar-sounding words. Ensure correct pronunciation; the tone is essential.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 蜎 with other insect-related words like 蚊 (wén) for mosquito. Remember that 蜎 specifically refers to the larval stage, while 蚊 denotes the adult mosquito.

Write 蜎

蜎

Practice writing 蜎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 蜎

Words Containing This Character1
蜎yuānsurname Yuan
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 蜎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蜎

It means mosquito larva, and it can also be a surname.

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