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虮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
虮jǐnits, liceg, 8 strokes, radical 虫
虮jǐnymph of louseunknown, 8 strokes, radical 虫
jǐ(ji3) T3
  1. 1nits, lice
  2. 2nymph of louse
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

虮(蟣)jǐ(ji3)

The character 虮 (jǐ) refers to the nymph stage of lice, specifically the immature form before they become adult lice. It is a less commonly used term and is often encountered in entomological contexts or discussions about pests. Understanding this term requires some familiarity with the life cycle of lice and related insects.

Strokes8Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, discussions about lice and other pests can be tied to traditional sayings about cleanliness and personal hygiene. The character 虮 may appear in medical texts or folk remedies concerning lice treatment.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny creature, the 虮 (jǐ), crawling on a hair strand. The character resembles a bug in its shape, with the two horizontal lines suggesting its tiny legs. To remember the pronunciation, think of 'ji' as 'gee!' when you discover lice in your hair.

Meanings of 虮

jǐ(ji3)
1nits, lice
2nymph of louse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 虮

虮Simplified
蟣Traditional
8Strokes
虫Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 虮

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Podcast: 虮

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AI Study Notes for 虮

Usage Notes

This term is quite specific and may not be used in everyday conversation. Be cautious as it can sound formal or academic; in everyday language, you might simply refer to lice. Also, avoid confusing it with other similar terms related to insects.

HSK Study Tips

Although 虮 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it could be useful for students interested in biology or pest control. Focus on the life stages of insects to better understand this term's context and usage.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 虮 with 虱 (shī), which means lice in general. For example, saying '我有虮' (Wǒ yǒu jǐ) instead of '我有虱' (Wǒ yǒu shī) would be incorrect unless referring specifically to nymphs.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 虮

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Etymology of 虮

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

insect

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 虮

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half几 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 虮? 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 虮?

Decomposition of 虮

IDS Structure⿰虫几
虮Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
几ji1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 虮?

How to say nits, lice in Chinese

“nits, lice” in Chinese is虮jǐ

The character 虮 (jǐ) refers to the nymph stage of lice, specifically the immature form before they become adult lice. It is a less commonly used term and is often encountered in entomological contexts or discussions about pests. Understanding this term requires some familiarity with the life cycle of lice and related insects.

When to use 虮

This term is quite specific and may not be used in everyday conversation. Be cautious as it can sound formal or academic; in everyday language, you might simply refer to lice. Also, avoid confusing it with other similar terms related to insects.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 虮 with 虱 (shī), which means lice in general. For example, saying '我有虮' (Wǒ yǒu jǐ) instead of '我有虱' (Wǒ yǒu shī) would be incorrect unless referring specifically to nymphs.

Write 虮

虮

Practice writing 虮 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 虮

Words Containing This Character1
虮jǐnymph of louse蟣
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 虮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 虮

No, 虮 is mainly used in specialized contexts, like biology or entomology.

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