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蚩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蚩chīworm; ignorant, rustic; to laugh atj, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #73407, Very Hard
蚩chīsurname Chiunknown, 10 strokes, radical 虫, rank #73407, Very Hard
chī(Chi1) T1
  1. 1worm; ignorant, rustic; to laugh at
Also a Chinese surname, Chi — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蚩chī(Chi1)

The character 蚩 (chī) primarily refers to a 'worm' and is often used in literary contexts to denote ignorance or rusticity. It can also describe someone who is laughed at, conveying a sense of derision or contempt. Although not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in classical literature or philosophical texts.

Strokes10Radical虫Frequency#73407DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In some traditional Chinese texts, the idea of ignorance linked to the character 蚩 reflects historical views on education and social status, where 'rustic' individuals were often looked down upon. The character can evoke a cultural sentiment about the value of knowledge and refinement.

Memory Tip

Imagine a worm (蚩) wriggling in the dirt, looking foolish and rustic. The pronunciation 'chī' sounds like 'chee,' which you can remember by picturing a child laughing at the worm, saying 'chee-chee, look at that silly worm!'

Meanings of 蚩

chī(Chi1)
1worm; ignorant, rustic; to laugh at
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蚩

蚩Simplified
10Strokes
虫Radical
简称abbreviation (abbr.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蚩

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Podcast: 蚩

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AI Study Notes for 蚩

Usage Notes

This character is seldom used in modern language, so learners might confuse it with more common words for worms or ignorance, such as 蠕虫 (rú chónɡ) for 'worm.' Be mindful of the context when using this term, as it can carry a humorous or derogatory tone.

HSK Study Tips

蚩 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists; however, its components can help learners connect with other characters containing the虫 (chóng) radical, which often relates to insects or small creatures. Focus on recognizing the character in literary texts where it may appear.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 蚩 with the more common characters for 'worm' or 'insect.' For example, using 蚩 to refer to a worm in everyday speech may sound odd; instead, use 蠕虫 (rú chónɡ).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蚩

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Etymology of 蚩

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

worm

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蚩

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half屮 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 蚩? 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 蚩?

Decomposition of 蚩

IDS Structure⿱⿱屮一虫
蚩Full Character
=
屮che4
top
一yi1
bottom
虫chong2
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蚩?

How to say worm; ignorant, rustic; to laugh at in Chinese

“worm; ignorant, rustic; to laugh at” in Chinese is蚩chī

The character 蚩 (chī) primarily refers to a 'worm' and is often used in literary contexts to denote ignorance or rusticity. It can also describe someone who is laughed at, conveying a sense of derision or contempt. Although not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in classical literature or philosophical texts.

When to use 蚩

This character is seldom used in modern language, so learners might confuse it with more common words for worms or ignorance, such as 蠕虫 (rú chónɡ) for 'worm.' Be mindful of the context when using this term, as it can carry a humorous or derogatory tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 蚩 with the more common characters for 'worm' or 'insect.' For example, using 蚩 to refer to a worm in everyday speech may sound odd; instead, use 蠕虫 (rú chónɡ).

Write 蚩

蚩

Practice writing 蚩 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 蚩

Words Containing This Character2
蚩尤comet
蚩chīworm
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 蚩尤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蚩

No, 蚩 is rarely used in everyday conversation and is more likely to be found in classical literature.

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