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蝸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蝸wōsnail; Eulota callizomax, 15 strokes, radical 虫
wō(wo1) T1
  1. 1snail; Eulota callizoma
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蝸wō(wo1)

The character 蝸 (wō) refers to a snail, a small mollusk known for its distinctive coiled shell. It is often used in literature and conversations to symbolize slowness or a retreat into one's shell, reflecting both physical characteristics and behavioral traits.

Strokes15Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, snails are sometimes used in poetry and proverbs to illustrate perseverance and the importance of taking one's time, reflecting a broader philosophy about living life at a measured pace.

Memory Tip

Imagine a snail slowly sliding across a lush garden. The character 蝸 looks like a snail curled up in its shell, with the '𠂇' component at the top resembling the spiral of the shell, while '虫' at the bottom represents an insect. This connection to its shape helps you remember both the character and pronunciation 'wō'.

Meanings of 蝸

wō(wo1)
1snail; Eulota callizoma
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蝸

蝸Simplified
15Strokes
虫Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蝸

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Podcast: 蝸

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蝸

Usage Notes

When using 蝸, note that it is more common in written Chinese or formal contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious of its tone; the first tone 'wō' should be pronounced clearly to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蝸 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be connected to HSK Level 1 vocabulary focused on animals, like 鸟 (niǎo - bird) or 狗 (gǒu - dog). Students should focus on using it in descriptive sentences about nature or animal characteristics.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蝸 (snail) with similar-sounding characters. For example, mistakenly using 哇 (wā - wow) instead of 蝸. Always remember the correct context and meaning when using it.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蝸

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Etymology of 蝸

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

mollusk

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蝸

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

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

Want the full history of 蝸? 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 蝸?

Decomposition of 蝸

IDS Structure⿰虫咼
蝸Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
咼guo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蝸?

How to say snail; Eulota callizoma in Chinese

“snail; Eulota callizoma” in Chinese is蝸wō

The character 蝸 (wō) refers to a snail, a small mollusk known for its distinctive coiled shell. It is often used in literature and conversations to symbolize slowness or a retreat into one's shell, reflecting both physical characteristics and behavioral traits.

When to use 蝸

When using 蝸, note that it is more common in written Chinese or formal contexts rather than in everyday conversation. Be cautious of its tone; the first tone 'wō' should be pronounced clearly to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蝸 (snail) with similar-sounding characters. For example, mistakenly using 哇 (wā - wow) instead of 蝸. Always remember the correct context and meaning when using it.

Write 蝸

蝸

Practice writing 蝸 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 蝸

Words Containing This Character7
蜗牛snail蝸牛
蜗wōsnail蝸
蜗居snail's home蝸居
蜗杆worm (mechanical engineering)蝸桿
蜗行snail's pace蝸行
蜗窗fenestra cochleae (in middle ear)蝸窗
蜗旋spiral蝸旋
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 蜗牛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蝸

It is pronounced as 'wō', with a high and level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蝸?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.