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蚴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
yòularvag, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #69272, Very Hard
yòu(you4) T4
  1. 1larva
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
yòu(you4)

The character 蚴 (yòu) refers to a larva, specifically the immature stage of an insect, particularly after the egg hatches and before it becomes a pupa. It is often used in biological contexts and discussions about the life cycles of insects.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#69272DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, larvae of certain insects are believed to have health benefits, reflecting a deeper cultural connection to the natural world and its resources.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny, wriggling larva that is so small it could hide underneath a leaf. The character 蚴 looks like a little bug with its components: the radical '虫' (chóng) meaning 'insect' and 'you' sounds like 'yo', a playful call to catch a bug!

Meanings of 蚴

yòu(you4)
1larva
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蚴

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蚴

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 蚴

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a tiny, wriggling larva that is so small it could hide underneath a leaf. The character 蚴 looks like a little bug with its components: the radical '虫' (chóng) meaning 'insect' and 'you' sounds like 'yo', a playful call to catch a bug!

Usage Notes

Learners may confuse 蚴 with other insect-related characters like 虫 (chóng) or 蝌 (kē), which can lead to misunderstandings. This term is more commonly used in formal or scientific contexts rather than everyday conversation, so ensure you're in the right setting when using it.

HSK Study Tips

While 蚴 is not part of the HSK levels, it connects to the HSK vocabulary related to nature and animals. Students should focus on understanding the life cycle terminology of insects, as this can help with biological discussions.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, larvae of certain insects are believed to have health benefits, reflecting a deeper cultural connection to the natural world and its resources.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 蚴 with other similar characters when writing or reading. For example, writing 蟲 instead of 蚴 is incorrect; remember that 蚴 specifically denotes the larval stage.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蚴

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Etymology of 蚴

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

An immature 幼 insect 虫; 幼 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蚴?

Decomposition of 蚴

IDS Structure⿰虫幼
Full Character
=
chong2
left
you4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蚴?

Write 蚴

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

Grammar Patterns of 蚴

蚴 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 2

Complete the Sentence

虫卵进入淡水,孵化成毛____.

Eggs that reach fresh water hatch into ciliated miracidia.

Example Sentences for 蚴 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
虫卵进入淡水,孵化成毛蚴.

chóng luǎn jìn rù dàn shuǐ, , fū huà chéng máo.

Eggs that reach fresh water hatch into ciliated miracidia.

Cultural Notes for 蚴

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, larvae of certain insects are believed to have health benefits, reflecting a deeper cultural connection to the natural world and its resources.

Word Family of 蚴

Words Containing This Character2
yòularva
尾蚴tailed larva
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 蚴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蚴

蚴 means larva, which is the early life stage of insects.