Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
蚤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蚤zǎoflea; louseg, 9 strokes, radical 虫, rank #51102, Very Hard
zǎo(zao3)zao 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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 蚤 means.

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

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.

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

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 蚤 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 蚤 to you

Let me explain 蚤 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 蚤 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How well do you know 蚤?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 蚤 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

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

Origin

蚤 = 虫 + 叉. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蚤

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

Parts

Which of these is part of 蚤?

How to say flea; louse in Chinese

“flea; louse” in Chinese is蚤zǎo

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.

When to use 蚤

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.

What learners get wrong

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.

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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

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 pāimài xíng、 gǔ wán diàn hé tiào zǎo shìchǎng zhōng xún bǎo。

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 wǎnshang, zhè fù jiān ěrduo gāi tīng déchū tiào zǎo men chī bǎo le yī qì.

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 péngyou ài guàng jiù huò shìchǎng( tiào zǎo shìchǎng )

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 shìchǎng hěn gǎnxìngqù.

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 shìchǎng hěn gǎnxìngqù.

Hunter has an interest in prowling around flea market.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 蚤?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

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 2

Words with 蚤

What does 跳蚤 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 蚤

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

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蚤?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab