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蟻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蟻yǐantx, 19 strokes, radical 虫
yǐ(yi3) T3
  1. 1ant
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蟻yǐ(yi3)

The character 蟻 (yǐ) means 'ant.' It is commonly used to refer to the small, social insects found in various environments. In Chinese, this character can also symbolize diligence and teamwork, reflecting how ants work together in colonies.

Strokes19Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, ants are often associated with hard work and perseverance, much like the saying '蚂蚁上树' (ants climbing a tree), which signifies overcoming obstacles through collective effort.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny ant marching in a line, carrying a piece of food much larger than itself. The character 蟻 looks like a little ant with its two legs and antennae, and the pinyin 'yǐ' sounds like 'ee,' as in the sound an ant makes when it's busy working.

Meanings of 蟻

yǐ(yi3)
1ant
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蟻

蟻Simplified
19Strokes
虫Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蟻

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蟻

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蟻

Usage Notes

Use 蟻 in both formal and informal contexts to discuss nature or teamwork. Be careful with pronunciation; the third tone can sometimes be confused with the second tone. Common collocations include 蟻穴 (ant nest) and 蟻群 (ant colony).

HSK Study Tips

Although 蟻 isn't in the official HSK levels, it can be linked to HSK vocabulary related to animals and nature. Students should focus on its radicals, particularly the '虫' component, which is common in other insect-related characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners frequently confuse 蟻 with similar looking characters like 蚁. Remember that 蚁 is the simplified version, while 蟻 is the traditional character. Always check the context to ensure you are using the correct form.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蟻

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Etymology of 蟻

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 义 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蟻.

Memory Hint

insect

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蟻

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 义 represents the sound. Simplified form of 蟻.

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half義 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 蟻? 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 蟻?

Decomposition of 蟻

IDS Structure⿰虫義
蟻Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
義yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蟻?

How to say ant in Chinese

“ant” in Chinese is蟻yǐ

The character 蟻 (yǐ) means 'ant.' It is commonly used to refer to the small, social insects found in various environments. In Chinese, this character can also symbolize diligence and teamwork, reflecting how ants work together in colonies.

When to use 蟻

Use 蟻 in both formal and informal contexts to discuss nature or teamwork. Be careful with pronunciation; the third tone can sometimes be confused with the second tone. Common collocations include 蟻穴 (ant nest) and 蟻群 (ant colony).

What learners get wrong

Learners frequently confuse 蟻 with similar looking characters like 蚁. Remember that 蚁 is the simplified version, while 蟻 is the traditional character. Always check the context to ensure you are using the correct form.

Write 蟻

蟻

Practice writing 蟻 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 蟻

Words Containing This Character10
蚂蚁mǎyǐant螞蟻
蚁yǐant蟻
白蚁termite白蟻
蝼蚁lit. mole cricket and ants螻蟻
热锅上的蚂蚁anxious熱鍋上的螞蟻
食蚁兽ant-eater (several different species)食蟻獸
兵蚁soldier ant兵蟻
蚁酸formic acid蟻酸
蚕蚁newly hatched silkworm蠶蟻
如蚁附膻the crowd runs after trash如蟻附膻
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 蚂蚁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蟻

It is pronounced as 'yǐ' with a third tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蟻?

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