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蛳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蛳sīa snail with a spiral shellx, 12 strokes, radical 虫
蛳sīsnailunknown, 12 strokes, radical 虫
sī(si1) T1
  1. 1a snail with a spiral shell
  2. 2snail
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蛳(螄)sī(si1)

The character 蛳 (sī) refers specifically to a type of snail known for its spiral shell. This term is often used in biological contexts or when discussing certain culinary dishes in Chinese cuisine where snails are featured.

Strokes12Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, certain snails are considered delicacies, particularly in regions where they are harvested and cooked in unique ways. The appreciation of snails reflects a broader cultural acceptance of diverse food sources in China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a spiral shell on the beach, slowly moving like a snail. The character 蛳 has the radical for 'insect' (虫), reminding you that it's a creature, and the 'si' sound can be remembered as 'see' the snail's shell.

Meanings of 蛳

sī(si1)
1a snail with a spiral shell
2snail
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蛳

蛳Simplified
螄Traditional
12Strokes
虫Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蛳

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蛳

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蛳

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 蛳 (sī) with similar-sounding words. This term is more commonly used in specific contexts rather than in everyday conversation, making it more formal. It often appears in discussions about food or biology.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蛳 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to other animal-related terms. Students should focus on recognizing how characters can depict animals and their characteristics, as this can help with memorization.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蛳 (sī) with other similar-sounding characters like 司 (sī) which means 'to manage' or 'to take charge.' Remember that 蛳 specifically relates to snails, whereas 司 pertains to management.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蛳

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Etymology of 蛳

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

mollusk

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蛳

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half师 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymollusk
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 蛳? 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 蛳?

Decomposition of 蛳

IDS Structure⿰虫师
蛳Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
师Shi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蛳?

How to say a snail with a spiral shell in Chinese

“a snail with a spiral shell” in Chinese is蛳sī

The character 蛳 (sī) refers specifically to a type of snail known for its spiral shell. This term is often used in biological contexts or when discussing certain culinary dishes in Chinese cuisine where snails are featured.

When to use 蛳

Be careful not to confuse 蛳 (sī) with similar-sounding words. This term is more commonly used in specific contexts rather than in everyday conversation, making it more formal. It often appears in discussions about food or biology.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蛳 (sī) with other similar-sounding characters like 司 (sī) which means 'to manage' or 'to take charge.' Remember that 蛳 specifically relates to snails, whereas 司 pertains to management.

Write 蛳

蛳

Practice writing 蛳 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 蛳

Words Containing This Character2
螺蛳river snail螺螄
蛳sīsnail螄
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 螺蛳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蛳

It is pronounced as 'sī'.

Jason Recommends

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