Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
蟊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蟊máoSpanish fly; grain-eating grubg, 17 strokes, radical 虫, rank #50554, Very Hard
máo(mao2) T2
  1. 1Spanish fly; grain-eating grub
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蟊máo(mao2)

The character 蟊 (máo) refers to a type of insect known as Spanish fly, which is historically significant for its use in traditional medicine and as an aphrodisiac. Additionally, it can denote grain-eating grubs, which are pests that affect crops. This word is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in discussions about entomology or agriculture.

Strokes17Radical虫Frequency#50554DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the Spanish fly was sometimes used for its medicinal properties, reflecting historical practices in herbal and animal-based remedies. Awareness of such uses highlights the intersection of culture, medicine, and agriculture in Chinese history.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small, green bug (the Spanish fly) that flies around grain fields, munching on grains. The character 蟊 combines the insect radical 虫 (insect) with the sound component 毛 (máo), which can remind you of a 'hairy' bug. Picture this hairy bug causing havoc in a grain field to remember its meaning.

Meanings of 蟊

máo(mao2)
1Spanish fly; grain-eating grub
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蟊

蟊Simplified
17Strokes
虫Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蟊

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蟊

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蟊

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 蟊 with other insect-related characters due to its specificity. It is used mainly in formal contexts, such as scientific discussions about pests. Be cautious with pronunciation, as the tone is crucial: máo is not the same as máo (毛), which means 'hair.'

HSK Study Tips

While 蟊 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be related to HSK topics on animals and agriculture. Students should focus on understanding the context of use in specialized fields and familiarize themselves with similar insect characters to build vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 蟊 with similar-sounding characters, like 毛 (máo), which means 'hair.' For example, saying '蟊是头发' (máo shì tóufà) instead of '蟊是一种虫' (máo shì yī zhǒng huǐ) would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蟊

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 蟊 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 蟊

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

insect

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蟊

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half矛 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 蟊? 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 蟊?

Decomposition of 蟊

IDS Structure⿱矛⿰虫虫
蟊Full Character
=
矛mao2
top
虫chong2
left
虫chong2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蟊?

How to say Spanish fly; grain-eating grub in Chinese

“Spanish fly; grain-eating grub” in Chinese is蟊máo

The character 蟊 (máo) refers to a type of insect known as Spanish fly, which is historically significant for its use in traditional medicine and as an aphrodisiac. Additionally, it can denote grain-eating grubs, which are pests that affect crops. This word is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in discussions about entomology or agriculture.

When to use 蟊

Learners often confuse 蟊 with other insect-related characters due to its specificity. It is used mainly in formal contexts, such as scientific discussions about pests. Be cautious with pronunciation, as the tone is crucial: máo is not the same as máo (毛), which means 'hair.'

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 蟊 with similar-sounding characters, like 毛 (máo), which means 'hair.' For example, saying '蟊是头发' (máo shì tóufà) instead of '蟊是一种虫' (máo shì yī zhǒng huǐ) would be incorrect.

Write 蟊

蟊

Practice writing 蟊 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 蟊

Words Containing This Character2
蟊máoSpanish fly
蟊贼(lit. and fig.) vermin蟊賊
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 蟊 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蟊

蟊 refers to the Spanish fly and grain-eating grubs, which are pests.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蟊?

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.