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蜣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蜣qiāngdung beetlen, 13 strokes, radical 虫
qiāng(qiang1) T1
  1. 1dung beetle
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蜣qiāng(qiang1)

The character 蜣 (qiāng) refers to a dung beetle, a type of insect known for its habit of rolling and burying dung. This term is often used in biological or ecological contexts, particularly when discussing waste recycling in nature and the role of insects in the ecosystem.

Strokes13Radical虫
Cultural Note

Dung beetles hold cultural significance in various societies, including ancient Egypt where they were associated with the sun god Ra. In China, they symbolize hard work and the recycling of waste, reflecting the importance of nature's cycles.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong, determined beetle (qiāng sounds like 'strong' in Mandarin) pushing a ball of dung. The '虫' (insect radical) at the bottom of the character reminds you that this is an insect, while the rest of the character evokes the idea of strength needed to roll the dung.

Meanings of 蜣

qiāng(qiang1)
1dung beetle
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蜣

蜣Simplified
13Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蜣

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Podcast: 蜣

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AI Study Notes for 蜣

Usage Notes

Be mindful that the term is quite specific and may not be used frequently in everyday conversation. It is more common in scientific discussions about insects or ecology. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words; the tone is critical.

HSK Study Tips

While not included in the HSK levels, learning 蜣 can enhance your vocabulary related to animals and nature. Students should focus on recognizing the insect radical ('虫') in other animal-related characters to draw connections.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 蜣 as 'qiǎng' with the third tone instead of the correct first tone. Additionally, they may confuse it with other insect-related terms. Always check for the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蜣

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Etymology of 蜣

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

insect

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蜣

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half羌 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 蜣? 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 蜣?

Decomposition of 蜣

IDS Structure⿰虫羌
蜣Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
羌Qiang1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蜣?

How to say dung beetle in Chinese

“dung beetle” in Chinese is蜣qiāng

The character 蜣 (qiāng) refers to a dung beetle, a type of insect known for its habit of rolling and burying dung. This term is often used in biological or ecological contexts, particularly when discussing waste recycling in nature and the role of insects in the ecosystem.

When to use 蜣

Be mindful that the term is quite specific and may not be used frequently in everyday conversation. It is more common in scientific discussions about insects or ecology. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words; the tone is critical.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 蜣 as 'qiǎng' with the third tone instead of the correct first tone. Additionally, they may confuse it with other insect-related terms. Always check for the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.

Write 蜣

蜣

Practice writing 蜣 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 蜣

Words Containing This Character2
蜣螂dung beetle
蜣qiāngdung beetle
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 蜣螂 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蜣

蜣 means 'dung beetle' in English, referring to a beetle that rolls and buries dung.

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