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蝗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蝗huánglocustn, 15 strokes, radical 虫, rank #59288, Very Hard
huáng(huang2) T2
  1. 1locust
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蝗huáng(huang2)

The character 蝗 (huáng) refers specifically to locusts, which are a type of grasshopper known for their swarming behavior that can lead to significant agricultural damage. This term is often used in discussions about ecology, agriculture, and food security, particularly in contexts related to pest control and crop protection.

Strokes15Radical虫Frequency#59288DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, locusts have been historically significant as both a food source and a pest. Traditionally, they are often mentioned in agricultural texts and folklore, where they are seen as a symbol of natural disaster during harvest times.

Memory Tip

Think of 蝗 (huáng) as a 'huge swarm' of locusts descending on a field. The character contains the radical 虫 (insect) at the bottom, which hints at its meaning related to pests. Imagine a 'huge' (huáng sounds like 'huge') cloud of locusts buzzing loudly as they consume everything in sight.

Meanings of 蝗

huáng(huang2)
1locust
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蝗

蝗Simplified
15Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蝗

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蝗

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蝗

Quick Contrast

蝗 (huáng) vs 草虫 (cǎo chóng) — choose 蝗 for the specific reference to locusts, while 草虫 is a more general term for grasshoppers.

Usage Notes

When using 蝗, ensure you are in the correct context of discussing insects or agricultural topics, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse 蝗 with other insect characters like 蚂 (mǎ, ant) or 蚊 (wén, mosquito). Remember to use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蝗 is not part of HSK vocabulary, it is useful for advanced learners interested in environmental science or agriculture. Focus on recognizing this character in written texts related to agriculture and understanding its nuances in context.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 蝗 when referring to grasshoppers in general, but it specifically denotes locusts. For example, saying '我看到很多蝗在田里' (I saw many locusts in the field) is correct, but using it to mean any grasshopper is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蝗

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Etymology of 蝗

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 皇 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

insect

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蝗

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 皇 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half皇 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 蝗? 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 蝗?

Decomposition of 蝗

IDS Structure⿰虫皇
蝗Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
皇Huang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蝗?

How to say locust in Chinese

“locust” in Chinese is蝗huáng

The character 蝗 (huáng) refers specifically to locusts, which are a type of grasshopper known for their swarming behavior that can lead to significant agricultural damage. This term is often used in discussions about ecology, agriculture, and food security, particularly in contexts related to pest control and crop protection.

When to use 蝗

When using 蝗, ensure you are in the correct context of discussing insects or agricultural topics, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse 蝗 with other insect characters like 蚂 (mǎ, ant) or 蚊 (wén, mosquito). Remember to use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

蝗 or something close to it

蝗 (huáng) vs 草虫 (cǎo chóng) — choose 蝗 for the specific reference to locusts, while 草虫 is a more general term for grasshoppers.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 蝗 when referring to grasshoppers in general, but it specifically denotes locusts. For example, saying '我看到很多蝗在田里' (I saw many locusts in the field) is correct, but using it to mean any grasshopper is incorrect.

Write 蝗

蝗

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 蝗

蝗 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

本图所示为____虫的纵剖面.

This illustration shows a vertical section through the locust.

Example Sentences for 蝗 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
本图所示为蝗虫的纵剖面.

běn tú suǒ shì wéi huáng chóng de zòng pōu miàn.

This illustration shows a vertical section through the locust.

Word Family of 蝗

Words Containing This Character3
蝗虫locust蝗蟲
蝗huánglocust
飞蝗flying locusts飛蝗
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 蝗虫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蝗

蝗 specifically refers to locusts, while other characters like 蚂 (ant) and 蚊 (mosquito) refer to different insects, each with unique characteristics.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蝗?

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