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虼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
虼gèfleax, 9 strokes, radical 虫
gè(ge4)ge T4
  1. 1flea
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March 24, 2026

虼gè(ge4)

The character 虼 (gè) refers to a flea, a small insect known for its ability to jump and its parasitic behavior on mammals. It is commonly used in discussions about pests, animal care, and sometimes in metaphors for being bothersome or irritating.

Strokes9Radical虫
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, fleas are often associated with cleanliness and health, as they can be a nuisance and a sign of poor hygiene. Traditional remedies for flea infestations may be mentioned in folk medicine.

Memory tip

Imagine a tiny flea jumping around, making you itch. The character 虼 has the radical 虍 (hū) which relates to beasts or animals, and the 'gè' pronunciation sounds like 'get,' as in 'get rid of fleas!' Picture yourself trying to catch a flea to 'get' it out of your house.

Meanings of 虼

gè(ge4)
1flea
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 虼

虼Simplified
9Strokes
虫Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 虼

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AI study notes for 虼

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using this term, as it is quite specific and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. It is more likely to appear in formal contexts discussing pests or in literature. Avoid confusing it with other similar-sounding characters that refer to different insects.

HSK Study Tips

Although 虼 is not included in HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of contexts related to animals and pests. Focus on the pronunciation and usage in specific contexts to improve your fluency.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 虼 with other characters that refer to different pests, such as 蚊 (wén, mosquito) or 虫 (huǐ, insect). Ensure you are using 虼 specifically when discussing fleas.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 虼

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Etymology of 虼

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

insect

Semantic (meaning)虫
+
Phonetic (sound)乞
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

虼 = 虫 + 乞. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 虼

IDS Structure⿰虫乞
虼Full character
=
虫chong2
left
乞qi3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 虼?

How to say flea in Chinese

“flea” in Chinese is虼gè

The character 虼 (gè) refers to a flea, a small insect known for its ability to jump and its parasitic behavior on mammals. It is commonly used in discussions about pests, animal care, and sometimes in metaphors for being bothersome or irritating.

When to use 虼

Be cautious when using this term, as it is quite specific and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation. It is more likely to appear in formal contexts discussing pests or in literature. Avoid confusing it with other similar-sounding characters that refer to different insects.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 虼 with other characters that refer to different pests, such as 蚊 (wén, mosquito) or 虫 (huǐ, insect). Ensure you are using 虼 specifically when discussing fleas.

Write 虼

虼

Practice writing 虼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 虼

Words containing this character1
虼gèflea

Frequently asked questions about 虼

It is pronounced 'gè'.

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