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蟎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蟎mǎnmite, insectx, 17 strokes, radical 虫
mǎn(man3) T3
  1. 1mite, insect
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蟎mǎn(man3)

The character 蟎 (mǎn) refers to a type of small arachnid commonly known as a mite. Mites are often found in various environments, including homes and gardens, and can be pests in agricultural contexts. The term is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in specialized discussions about entomology or pest control.

Strokes17Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, pests like mites can be associated with agricultural challenges, particularly in rice farming, which is a staple in China. Awareness of such pests is vital for maintaining crop quality and food security.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny, pesky mite crawling on your skin, making you feel uncomfortable. The character 蟎 has the radical for 'insect' (虫), which helps you remember it relates to small creatures. The pronunciation 'mǎn' can be associated with the word 'man,' picturing a tiny man dealing with a big infestation of mites.

Meanings of 蟎

mǎn(man3)
1mite, insect
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蟎

蟎Simplified
17Strokes
虫Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蟎

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Podcast: 蟎

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AI Study Notes for 蟎

Usage Notes

While 蟎 is a specific term, learners might confuse it with more common insect-related terms. It's more suitable for formal or scientific contexts rather than casual conversation. Be aware of the tone; ensure you pronounce it with the third tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

As 蟎 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, learners at this level should focus on basic insect terms like 虫 (chóng, insect) or 昆虫 (kūnchóng, insect) to build foundational knowledge. Understanding the radical for insects can also aid in recognizing related characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 蟎 with other insect-related characters like 虫 (chóng). For example, saying '我看到蟎在桌子上' (I saw a mite on the table) is correct, but mixing it up with a more general term may lead to inaccuracy.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蟎

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Etymology of 蟎

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

insect

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蟎

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half㒼 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 蟎? 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 蟎?

Decomposition of 蟎

IDS Structure⿰虫㒼
蟎Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
㒼man2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蟎?

How to say mite, insect in Chinese

“mite, insect” in Chinese is蟎mǎn

The character 蟎 (mǎn) refers to a type of small arachnid commonly known as a mite. Mites are often found in various environments, including homes and gardens, and can be pests in agricultural contexts. The term is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in specialized discussions about entomology or pest control.

When to use 蟎

While 蟎 is a specific term, learners might confuse it with more common insect-related terms. It's more suitable for formal or scientific contexts rather than casual conversation. Be aware of the tone; ensure you pronounce it with the third tone, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other words.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 蟎 with other insect-related characters like 虫 (chóng). For example, saying '我看到蟎在桌子上' (I saw a mite on the table) is correct, but mixing it up with a more general term may lead to inaccuracy.

Write 蟎

蟎

Practice writing 蟎 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 蟎

Words Containing This Character3
螨mǎnmite蟎
螨虫mite (zoology)蟎蟲
尘螨dust mite塵蟎
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 螨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蟎

蟎 refers to a type of mite, a small arachnid often considered a pest.

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