Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
蜘zhī(zhi1)
The character 蜘 (zhī) refers specifically to a spider, often used in a more literary or formal context compared to the more common term 蜘蛛 (zhī zhū). It emphasizes the creature's essence and characteristics in a way that may not be captured in everyday conversation.
Strokes14Radical虫Frequency#61229DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, spiders are often associated with both good and bad omens. Some believe that seeing a spider in the morning brings good luck, while others may connect it with bad fortune, reflecting a rich tapestry of beliefs surrounding this creature.
Memory Tip
Imagine a spider weaving its web in the shape of the character 蜘. The left side resembles legs, while the right side can be visualized as its intricate web. The pronunciation 'zhī' sounds like 'gee,' which you might exclaim when seeing a spider unexpectedly!
Meanings of 蜘
zhī(zhi1)
1spider
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 蜘
蜘Simplified
14Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 蜘
Podcast: 蜘
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 蜘
Quick Contrast
蜘蛛 (zhī zhū) is the common term for 'spider' used in everyday conversation, while 蜘 (zhī) is more literary or formal, emphasizing the creature's essence.
Usage Notes
While 蜘 is understood, it is less commonly used than 蜘蛛 in daily conversation. Be mindful of the context; 蜘 may appear in written literature or formal discussions about spiders. Remember that the tone is important; use the first tone (zhī) to avoid confusion with other words.
HSK Study Tips
As 蜘 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, students should focus on familiarizing themselves with its more commonly used counterpart 蜘蛛. Understanding the relationship between these two terms can enhance vocabulary retention and recognition.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 蜘 with 蜘蛛, mistakenly using 蜘 in casual conversation. For example, saying '我看到了一只蜘' (incorrect) instead of '我看到了一只蜘蛛' (correct).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 蜘
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 蜘 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 知 represents the sound.
1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
2The sound half知 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayinsect
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 蜘? 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 蜘?
Decomposition of 蜘
IDS Structure⿰虫知
蜘Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
知zhi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 蜘?
How to say spider in Chinese
“spider” in Chinese is蜘zhī
The character 蜘 (zhī) refers specifically to a spider, often used in a more literary or formal context compared to the more common term 蜘蛛 (zhī zhū). It emphasizes the creature's essence and characteristics in a way that may not be captured in everyday conversation.
When to use 蜘
While 蜘 is understood, it is less commonly used than 蜘蛛 in daily conversation. Be mindful of the context; 蜘 may appear in written literature or formal discussions about spiders. Remember that the tone is important; use the first tone (zhī) to avoid confusion with other words.
蜘 or something close to it
蜘蛛 (zhī zhū) is the common term for 'spider' used in everyday conversation, while 蜘 (zhī) is more literary or formal, emphasizing the creature's essence.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 蜘 with 蜘蛛, mistakenly using 蜘 in casual conversation. For example, saying '我看到了一只蜘' (incorrect) instead of '我看到了一只蜘蛛' (correct).
Write 蜘
蜘
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 蜘 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 蜘
蜘 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
有人能想出一种不会破坏生态环境而又能够赶跑____蛛的办法吗？
Can anyone suggest a method of deterring spiders which is ecologically sound?
Example Sentences for 蜘 (8)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
有人能想出一种不会破坏生态环境而又能够赶跑蜘蛛的办法吗？
yǒu rén néng xiǎng chū yī zhǒng bù huì pò huài shēng tài huán jìng ér yòu néng gòu gǎn pǎo zhī zhū de bàn fǎ ma？
Can anyone suggest a method of deterring spiders which is ecologically sound?
