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蜇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蜇zhējellyfishv, 13 strokes, radical 虫, rank #21210, Very Hard
蜇zhēto stingunknown, 13 strokes, radical 虫, rank #21210, Very Hard
蜇zhéjellyfishv, 13 strokes, radical 虫, rank #21210, Very Hard
蜇zhéto stingunknown, 13 strokes, radical 虫, rank #21210, Very Hard
zhē(zhe1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1jellyfish
  2. 2to sting
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蜇zhē(zhe1)

The character 蜇 (zhē) primarily refers to the action of stinging, commonly associated with jellyfish. It can also denote the creature itself, emphasizing its ability to sting. In contexts related to marine life or discussions about nature, this character is frequently used.

Strokes13Radical虫Frequency#21210DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, jellyfish are sometimes viewed as a delicacy in certain coastal regions, highlighting a unique aspect of culinary traditions that may not be as prevalent in Western cultures.

Memory Tip

Think of 蜇 as a jellyfish with its long tentacles (the '丷' radical at the top resembles wavy tentacles) ready to sting. Picture a jellyfish floating in the ocean, and when it stings, it 'zhē's' you with its tentacles, making you remember the sound and meaning.

Meanings of 蜇

zhē(zhe1)
primary
1jellyfish
2to sting
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蜇

蜇Simplified
13Strokes
虫Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蜇

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Podcast: 蜇

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AI Study Notes for 蜇

Quick Contrast

蜇 (zhē) vs 刺 (cì) — use 蜇 when specifically referring to the stinging action of creatures like jellyfish, while 刺 is more general for any kind of stabbing or piercing.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 蜇 with similar-sounding words; it specifically refers to the action of stinging rather than just any form of pain. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about marine biology or when describing experiences with jellyfish.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蜇 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it relates to Level 3 terms associated with animals and nature. Students should focus on the radicals that compose the character and practice using it in sentences about aquatic life.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蜇 with 震 (zhèn), which means 'to shake.' For example, saying '我被震了' instead of '我被蜇了' (I was stung) demonstrates this mistake. Remember that 蜇 specifically refers to stinging, especially in relation to jellyfish.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蜇

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Etymology of 蜇

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

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

Memory Hint

mollusk

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蜇

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

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half折 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 蜇? 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 蜇?

Decomposition of 蜇

IDS Structure⿱折虫
蜇Full Character
=
折she2
top
虫chong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蜇?

How to say jellyfish in Chinese

“jellyfish” in Chinese is蜇zhē

The character 蜇 (zhē) primarily refers to the action of stinging, commonly associated with jellyfish. It can also denote the creature itself, emphasizing its ability to sting. In contexts related to marine life or discussions about nature, this character is frequently used.

When to use 蜇

Be careful not to confuse 蜇 with similar-sounding words; it specifically refers to the action of stinging rather than just any form of pain. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about marine biology or when describing experiences with jellyfish.

蜇 or something close to it

蜇 (zhē) vs 刺 (cì) — use 蜇 when specifically referring to the stinging action of creatures like jellyfish, while 刺 is more general for any kind of stabbing or piercing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蜇 with 震 (zhèn), which means 'to shake.' For example, saying '我被震了' instead of '我被蜇了' (I was stung) demonstrates this mistake. Remember that 蜇 specifically refers to stinging, especially in relation to jellyfish.

Write 蜇

蜇

Practice writing 蜇 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 蜇

Words Containing This Character2
蜇zhēto sting
海蜇Rhopilema esculenta, an edible jellyfish
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 蜇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蜇

It means 'to sting' and also refers to jellyfish.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蜇?

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.