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蛭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蛭zhìleechg, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #35626, Very Hard
蛭zhìflukeunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #35626, Very Hard
蛭zhìhirudineaunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫, rank #35626, Very Hard
zhì(zhi4) T4
  1. 1leech
  2. 2fluke
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蛭zhì(zhi4)

The character 蛭 (zhì) refers to a leech, a type of blood-sucking worm commonly found in freshwater environments. It is used both in scientific contexts to describe the creature and colloquially to indicate something that drains resources or takes advantage of others. This word is relatively specialized and may not be widely used in everyday conversation.

Strokes12Radical虫Frequency#35626DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, leeches have been used for their medicinal properties, particularly in bloodletting practices. This character reflects the historical significance of leeches in medical treatments and the beliefs surrounding them.

Memory Tip

Imagine a leech (蛭) clinging to the skin, its body resembling the character's shape. The left side (虫) represents 'insect' or 'worm,' while the right side (知) can be remembered as 'to know'—the leech knows how to latch on for survival. Visualize a leech sucking the life force out of a person to reinforce the idea.

Meanings of 蛭

zhì(zhi4)
1leech
2fluke
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蛭

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

Podcast: 蛭

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蛭

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蛭

Usage Notes

When using 蛭, it's important to be aware of the context, as it has a negative connotation when used metaphorically. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like 只 (zhǐ), which means 'only.' It's generally used in a more formal or scientific context rather than casual conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 蛭 is not an HSK vocabulary word, it connects to biological terms that may appear in advanced levels. Students should focus on understanding its usage in scientific texts and its metaphorical implications in language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蛭 with other insect-related terms like 虫 (insect) or 蚂 (ant). For example, saying '我看到一只虫' (I saw an insect) instead of using 蛭 when specifically referring to a leech is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蛭

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Etymology of 蛭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 至 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

worm

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蛭

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 至 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half至 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 蛭? 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 蛭?

Decomposition of 蛭

IDS Structure⿰虫至
蛭Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
至zhi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蛭?

How to say leech in Chinese

“leech” in Chinese is蛭zhì

The character 蛭 (zhì) refers to a leech, a type of blood-sucking worm commonly found in freshwater environments. It is used both in scientific contexts to describe the creature and colloquially to indicate something that drains resources or takes advantage of others. This word is relatively specialized and may not be widely used in everyday conversation.

When to use 蛭

When using 蛭, it's important to be aware of the context, as it has a negative connotation when used metaphorically. Avoid confusing it with similar-sounding words like 只 (zhǐ), which means 'only.' It's generally used in a more formal or scientific context rather than casual conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蛭 with other insect-related terms like 虫 (insect) or 蚂 (ant). For example, saying '我看到一只虫' (I saw an insect) instead of using 蛭 when specifically referring to a leech is incorrect.

Write 蛭

蛭

Practice writing 蛭 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 蛭

Words Containing This Character3
水蛭leech
蛭zhìfluke
蛭石vermiculite
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 水蛭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蛭

No, 蛭 is more likely to be found in scientific or medical contexts rather than everyday speech.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蛭?

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.