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虼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
fleax, 9 strokes, radical 虫, Very Hard
(ge4) T4
  1. 1flea
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(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.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
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

(ge4)
1flea
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 虼

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

Podcast: 虼

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 虼

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 虼?

Decomposition of 虼

IDS Structure⿰虫乞
Full Character
=
chong2
left
qi3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 虼?

Write 虼

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 虼

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 虼

Words Containing This Character1
flea
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 虼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 虼

It is pronounced 'gè'.