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虿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
虿chàiscorpiong, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虿chài(scorpion)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
虿chàian insectunknown, 9 strokes, radical 虫
chài(chai4) T4
  1. 1scorpion
  2. 2(scorpion)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

虿(蠆)chài(chai4)

The character 虿 (chài) refers to a scorpion, a type of arachnid known for its venomous sting. It is often used in discussions about insects or creatures that evoke fear or caution. This term is less commonly used in daily conversation, generally appearing in specific contexts like biology or folklore.

Strokes9Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, scorpions are sometimes used in traditional medicine and regional cuisine, especially in certain areas of southern China where they are considered a delicacy when prepared as food.

Memory Tip

Imagine a scorpion with its curved tail raised. The character 虿 resembles a scorpion with its pincers and tail, and the 'ch' sound in chài can remind you of a creature that 'chases' or 'catches' its prey.

Meanings of 虿

chài(chai4)
1scorpion
2(scorpion)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 虿

虿Simplified
蠆Traditional
9Strokes
虫Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 虿

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Podcast: 虿

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 虿

Usage Notes

Be aware that 虿 is not frequently used in everyday conversation; it's more common in technical or literary contexts. A common mistake is confusing it with similar characters, so pay attention to the context to avoid misinterpretation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 虿 is not included in the official HSK levels, learning related terms like 昆虫 (kūnchóng, insect) and 甲虫 (jiǎchóng, beetle) can enrich vocabulary on the topic of insects. Focus on pronunciation and recognizing it in compound words or phrases.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 虿 with similar characters like 螳 (táng, mantis) due to the visual similarity. To correct this, focus on the unique features of the character and its specific meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 虿

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Etymology of 虿

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

insect

Semantic (meaning)虫
+
Phonetic (sound)万
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 虿

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half万 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 虿? 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 虿?

Decomposition of 虿

IDS Structure⿱万虫
虿Full Character
=
万Mo4
top
虫chong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 虿?

How to say scorpion in Chinese

“scorpion” in Chinese is虿chài

The character 虿 (chài) refers to a scorpion, a type of arachnid known for its venomous sting. It is often used in discussions about insects or creatures that evoke fear or caution. This term is less commonly used in daily conversation, generally appearing in specific contexts like biology or folklore.

When to use 虿

Be aware that 虿 is not frequently used in everyday conversation; it's more common in technical or literary contexts. A common mistake is confusing it with similar characters, so pay attention to the context to avoid misinterpretation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 虿 with similar characters like 螳 (táng, mantis) due to the visual similarity. To correct this, focus on the unique features of the character and its specific meaning.

Write 虿

虿

Practice writing 虿 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 虿

Words Containing This Character1
虿chài(scorpion)蠆
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 虿 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 虿

It is pronounced as 'chài'.

Jason Recommends

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