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虺 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
虺huīa large venomous snakex, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虺huīsickunknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虺huīmythical venomous snakeunknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虺huīwith no ambitionunknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虺huǐa large venomous snakex, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虺huǐsickunknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虺huǐmythical venomous snakeunknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虺huǐwith no ambitionunknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
huī(hui1)
primary
T1
  1. 1a large venomous snake
  2. 2sick
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

虺huī(hui1)

The character 虺 (huī) refers to a large venomous snake, often depicting a mythical creature associated with danger and poison. It can also describe a state of being sick or lacking ambition, suggesting lethargy or a will to avoid challenges. This character is not commonly used in modern vocabulary but may appear in literary or historical contexts.

Strokes9Radical虫
Cultural Note

In ancient Chinese literature, snakes often symbolize danger and transformation. The character 虺 connects to myths where venomous snakes represent both physical peril and moral lessons about ambition and diligence.

Memory Tip

Think of a large snake slithering through the grass, its venomous fangs glistening in the sun. The shape of the character 虺 resembles a snake coiled up, ready to strike. Imagine hearing a hiss (the sound 'huī') as it approaches, warning you of its presence.

Meanings of 虺

huī(hui1)
primary
1a large venomous snake
2sick
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 虺

虺Simplified
9Strokes
虫Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 虺

JasonAmy

Podcast: 虺

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 虺

Usage Notes

This character is quite rare in everyday conversation and is mostly seen in literary texts. It is essential to use it in the right context, as it can carry a negative connotation when referring to ambition. Be mindful of tone when pronouncing 'huī' to avoid confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, learners should focus on more commonly used terms related to animals and emotions. Understanding the nuances of ambition and lethargy can connect this word to broader themes in intermediate Chinese studies.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 虺 with other common snake characters like 蛇 (shé). For example, saying '我看到了一条虺' (wǒ kàn dào le yī tiáo huī) when they mean 'I saw a snake' may lead to misunderstanding; it would be more appropriate to use 蛇.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 虺

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Etymology of 虺

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

worm

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 虺

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

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

Want the full history of 虺? 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 虺?

Decomposition of 虺

IDS Structure⿺兀虫
虺Full Character
=
兀Wu4
enclosing
虫chong2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 虺?

How to say a large venomous snake in Chinese

“a large venomous snake” in Chinese is虺huī

The character 虺 (huī) refers to a large venomous snake, often depicting a mythical creature associated with danger and poison. It can also describe a state of being sick or lacking ambition, suggesting lethargy or a will to avoid challenges. This character is not commonly used in modern vocabulary but may appear in literary or historical contexts.

When to use 虺

This character is quite rare in everyday conversation and is mostly seen in literary texts. It is essential to use it in the right context, as it can carry a negative connotation when referring to ambition. Be mindful of tone when pronouncing 'huī' to avoid confusion with other words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 虺 with other common snake characters like 蛇 (shé). For example, saying '我看到了一条虺' (wǒ kàn dào le yī tiáo huī) when they mean 'I saw a snake' may lead to misunderstanding; it would be more appropriate to use 蛇.

Write 虺

虺

Practice writing 虺 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 虺

Words Containing This Character1
虺huīsick
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 虺 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 虺

No, 虺 is quite rare and mainly found in literary or historical texts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 虺?

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.