Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
蛘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蛘yángrice weevilg, 12 strokes, radical 虫
蛘yánga weevil found in rice etcunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫
yáng(yang2) T2
  1. 1rice weevil
  2. 2a weevil found in rice etc
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蛘yáng(yang2)

The character 蛘 (yáng) refers to a type of rice weevil, a small beetle that infests stored grains, particularly rice. This insect can cause significant damage to grain supplies, making it relevant in agricultural and pest control discussions. It is often associated with food storage issues and agricultural practices.

Strokes12Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, rice is a staple food, and the presence of pests like 蛘 can symbolize poor storage practices or bad luck in food preservation. This highlights the importance of proper food storage in maintaining health and quality.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny bug, the rice weevil, sneaking around your rice bowl. The character 蛘 has a radical for 'insect' (虫) and looks like it’s scuttling away with a grain of rice. Visualize this bug munching on your rice to remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 蛘

yáng(yang2)
1rice weevil
2a weevil found in rice etc
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蛘

蛘Simplified
12Strokes
虫Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蛘

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蛘

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蛘

Usage Notes

This term is quite specific and is used mainly in agricultural contexts or pest management discussions. Be careful not to confuse it with other insect-related terms. In writing, ensure you use the correct form and context, especially when discussing food safety.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蛘 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it can be useful for learners interested in agriculture or pest control vocabulary. Focus on related terms like rice (米, mǐ) and pest (害虫, hàichóng) to build contextual understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 蛘 with similar insect characters like 蚂 (mǎ, meaning 'ant'). A common mistake is to use 蛘 incorrectly in a sentence about food-related issues without mentioning its specific context. Always clarify that it refers to a pest in rice.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蛘

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 蛘 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 蛘

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

insect

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蛘

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half羊 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 蛘? 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 蛘?

Decomposition of 蛘

IDS Structure⿰虫羊
蛘Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
羊Yang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蛘?

How to say rice weevil in Chinese

“rice weevil” in Chinese is蛘yáng

The character 蛘 (yáng) refers to a type of rice weevil, a small beetle that infests stored grains, particularly rice. This insect can cause significant damage to grain supplies, making it relevant in agricultural and pest control discussions. It is often associated with food storage issues and agricultural practices.

When to use 蛘

This term is quite specific and is used mainly in agricultural contexts or pest management discussions. Be careful not to confuse it with other insect-related terms. In writing, ensure you use the correct form and context, especially when discussing food safety.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 蛘 with similar insect characters like 蚂 (mǎ, meaning 'ant'). A common mistake is to use 蛘 incorrectly in a sentence about food-related issues without mentioning its specific context. Always clarify that it refers to a pest in rice.

Write 蛘

蛘

Practice writing 蛘 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 蛘

Words Containing This Character1
蛘yánga weevil found in rice etc
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 蛘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蛘

It means 'rice weevil', a type of insect that infests rice.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蛘?

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.