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蝰 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蝰kuíforest viper; meadow vipern, 15 strokes, radical 虫
kuí(kui2) T2
  1. 1forest viper; meadow viper
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蝰kuí(kui2)

The character 蝰 (kuí) refers to a type of snake known as the forest or meadow viper. It is often used in biological or ecological contexts when discussing wildlife or specific species found in certain habitats.

Strokes15Radical虫
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, certain snakes, including the viper, are sometimes associated with specific health benefits or properties. The mention of 蝰 may invoke discussions about nature's balance and the role of wildlife in Chinese ecosystems.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sleek snake slithering through the underbrush of a forest. The character 蝰 has the radical 虫 (insect) on the left, hinting at its nature as a creature, combined with the right side that can be visualized as a winding path that a snake might follow. Picture this snake as it quietly hunts in the meadow, and remember the sound 'kuí' as it hisses softly.

Meanings of 蝰

kuí(kui2)
1forest viper; meadow viper
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蝰

蝰Simplified
15Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蝰

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Podcast: 蝰

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AI Study Notes for 蝰

Usage Notes

When using 蝰, be mindful that it is a more technical term and may not be commonly used in casual conversation. It often appears in written texts related to wildlife or ecological studies. A common mistake is confusing it with similar snake terms, so double-check the context.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蝰 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your knowledge of animal-related terms in Chinese. Focus on the radicals and other characters related to animals to build a broader vocabulary in this area.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蝰 with similar characters, such as 蛇 (shé) which means snake in general. Remember, 蝰 specifically refers to the viper, so use it in contexts discussing that type of snake.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蝰

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Etymology of 蝰

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

worm

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蝰

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half奎 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 蝰? 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 蝰?

Decomposition of 蝰

IDS Structure⿰虫奎
蝰Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
奎kui2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蝰?

How to say forest viper; meadow viper in Chinese

“forest viper; meadow viper” in Chinese is蝰kuí

The character 蝰 (kuí) refers to a type of snake known as the forest or meadow viper. It is often used in biological or ecological contexts when discussing wildlife or specific species found in certain habitats.

When to use 蝰

When using 蝰, be mindful that it is a more technical term and may not be commonly used in casual conversation. It often appears in written texts related to wildlife or ecological studies. A common mistake is confusing it with similar snake terms, so double-check the context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蝰 with similar characters, such as 蛇 (shé) which means snake in general. Remember, 蝰 specifically refers to the viper, so use it in contexts discussing that type of snake.

Write 蝰

蝰

Practice writing 蝰 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 蝰

Words Containing This Character2
蝰kuíforest or meadow viper (Vipera russelii siamensis or similar)
蝰蛇forest or meadow viper (Vipera russelii siamensis or similar)
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 蝰 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蝰

The pronunciation is 'kuí', with a rising tone.

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