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蚖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蚖yuánsalamander, newtzg, 10 strokes, radical 虫
蚖yuánProtura (soil dwelling primitive hexapod)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫
蚖yuántritonunknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫
yuán(yuan2) T2
  1. 1salamander, newt
  2. 2Protura (soil dwelling primitive hexapod)
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March 24, 2026

蚖yuán(yuan2)

The character 蚖 (yuán) refers to a type of amphibian, specifically a salamander or newt. It is often used in biological contexts and may also refer to certain primitive soil-dwelling hexapods. The character can be seen as a variant of 螈 (yuán), which has a similar meaning.

Strokes10Radical虫
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, various amphibians, including salamanders, have been used for their supposed health benefits, highlighting their importance in Chinese culture beyond just being a part of the animal kingdom.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny newt, the 'yuán,' slithering through the soil, its body resembling a soft, flowing ribbon. The radical '虫' (insect) suggests its amphibious nature, while the '员' component makes you think of a team member (like the newt) in the ecosystem.

Meanings of 蚖

yuán(yuan2)
1salamander, newt
2Protura (soil dwelling primitive hexapod)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蚖

蚖Simplified
10Strokes
虫Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蚖

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蚖

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AI Study Notes for 蚖

Quick Contrast

蚖 (yuán) vs 螈 (yuán) — use 蚖 for specific amphibian contexts, while 螈 may refer more broadly to related species.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 蚖 (yuán) with similar characters like 螈 (yuán), which has a more common usage in everyday contexts. This term is generally used in formal or scientific discussions about amphibians, making it less common in casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

Though 蚖 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other HSK level words related to nature and animals. Focus on recognizing related terms and their usage in scientific contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蚖 (yuán) with 螈 (yuán), leading to incorrect usage in discussions about amphibians. Always make sure to use 蚖 when specifically referring to newts or salamanders.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蚖

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Etymology of 蚖

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

worm

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蚖

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half元 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 蚖? 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 蚖?

Decomposition of 蚖

IDS Structure⿰虫元
蚖Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
元Yuan2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蚖?

How to say salamander, newt in Chinese

“salamander, newt” in Chinese is蚖yuán

The character 蚖 (yuán) refers to a type of amphibian, specifically a salamander or newt. It is often used in biological contexts and may also refer to certain primitive soil-dwelling hexapods. The character can be seen as a variant of 螈 (yuán), which has a similar meaning.

When to use 蚖

Be careful not to confuse 蚖 (yuán) with similar characters like 螈 (yuán), which has a more common usage in everyday contexts. This term is generally used in formal or scientific discussions about amphibians, making it less common in casual conversation.

蚖 or something close to it

蚖 (yuán) vs 螈 (yuán) — use 蚖 for specific amphibian contexts, while 螈 may refer more broadly to related species.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蚖 (yuán) with 螈 (yuán), leading to incorrect usage in discussions about amphibians. Always make sure to use 蚖 when specifically referring to newts or salamanders.

Write 蚖

蚖

Practice writing 蚖 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 蚖

Words Containing This Character1
蚖yuánnewt
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 蚖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蚖

It is pronounced as 'yuán'.

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