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蚤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蚤zǎoflea; louseg, 9 strokes, radical 虫, rank #51102, Very Hard
zǎo(zao3) T3
  1. 1flea; louse
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蚤zǎo(zao3)

The character 蚤 (zǎo) refers to a small, wingless insect commonly known as a flea. Fleas are often found on animals and can bite humans, causing irritation. This word is used in contexts related to pests or discussions about animal care.

Strokes9Radical虫Frequency#51102DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Fleas are often associated with cleanliness in Chinese culture, where having pets that are free from fleas is considered a sign of good animal care. The concept of pest control is significant in maintaining hygiene in homes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny flea jumping around, and think of the sound 'zǎo' as a buzzing noise it makes. The character 蚤 combines the radical for 'insect' (虫) with the phonetic component, which can help you visualize the small, annoying insect that hops around.

Meanings of 蚤

zǎo(zao3)
1flea; louse
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蚤

蚤Simplified
9Strokes
虫Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蚤

JasonAmy

Podcast: 蚤

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 蚤

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a tiny flea jumping around, and think of the sound 'zǎo' as a buzzing noise it makes. The character 蚤 combines the radical for 'insect' (虫) with the phonetic component, which can help you visualize the small, annoying insect that hops around.

Usage Notes

Be careful to use this term in the correct context, as it is typically informal and related to pests. Common collocations include '蚤叮咬' (flea bite) and '狗蚤' (dog flea). Avoid mixing it up with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 蚤 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it aligns with HSK Level 4-5 themes involving animals and nature. Focus on expanding your vocabulary around animals and their characteristics, as this will help with contextual understanding.

Cultural Note

Fleas are often associated with cleanliness in Chinese culture, where having pets that are free from fleas is considered a sign of good animal care. The concept of pest control is significant in maintaining hygiene in homes.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蚤 (flea) with other insect-related characters, like 虫 (insect) or 蟑 (roach). For example, saying '我有虫' (wǒ yǒu chóng - I have insects) instead of specifying '蚤' can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蚤

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Etymology of 蚤

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

insect

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蚤?

Decomposition of 蚤

IDS Structure⿱叉虫
蚤Full Character
=
叉cha1
top
虫chong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蚤?

Write 蚤

蚤

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 蚤

蚤 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他在拍卖行、古玩店和跳____市场中寻宝。

He finds material at auctions, antique shops and flea markets.

Example Sentences for 蚤 (6)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他在拍卖行、古玩店和跳蚤市场中寻宝。

tā zài pāi mài háng、 、 gǔ wán diàn hé tiào zǎo shì cháng zhōng xún。

He finds material at auctions, antique shops and flea markets.
2
这条狗有跳蚤。

zhè tiáo gǒu yǒu tiào zǎo。

The dog has fleas.
3
那一晚上,这副尖耳朵该听得出跳蚤们吃饱了噫气.

nà yī wǎn shàng, , zhè fù jiān ěr duǒ gāi tīng dé chū tiào zǎo mén chī bǎo le yī.

That night a pair of sharp ears could have picked tip the belching of feasting fleas.
4
我的朋友爱逛旧货市场(跳蚤市场 )

wǒ de péng yǒu ài guàng jiù huò shì cháng( ( tiào zǎo shì)

My friend likes to stroll around the flea market.
5
亨特对逛跳蚤市场很感兴趣.

hēng tè duì guàng tiào zǎo shì cháng hěn gǎn xīng qù.

Hunter has an interest in prowling around a flea market.
6
亨特对“逛”跳蚤市场很感兴趣.

hēng tè duì“ “” guàng ” tiào zǎo shì cháng hěn gǎn.

Hunter has an interest in prowling around flea market.

Cultural Notes for 蚤

🏮Cultural insight

Fleas are often associated with cleanliness in Chinese culture, where having pets that are free from fleas is considered a sign of good animal care. The concept of pest control is significant in maintaining hygiene in homes.

Word Family of 蚤

Words Containing This Character3
跳蚤flea
蚤zǎoflea
跳蚤市场flea market跳蚤市場
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 跳蚤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蚤

It's not commonly used in casual conversations unless discussing pets or insects.