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蜱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蜱pítick, miteg, 14 strokes, radical 虫, rank #42937, Very Hard
蜱pítick (zoology)unknown, 14 strokes, radical 虫, rank #42937, Very Hard
pí(pi2)pi T2
  1. 1tick, mite
  2. 2tick (zoology)
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March 24, 2026

蜱pí(pi2)

The character 蜱 (pí) refers to a type of arachnid known as a tick or mite. These small creatures are often associated with parasitism, as they feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles. In contexts like veterinary medicine or outdoor safety, this term may be frequently used when discussing diseases transmitted by ticks.

Strokes14Radical虫Frequency#42937DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Ticks are of particular concern in rural areas of China, especially during the warmer months when people are more likely to encounter them while hiking or farming. Awareness of ticks and the diseases they can carry reflects a growing concern for public health.

Memory Tip

Think of 蜱 (pí) as a 'pea' (the pronunciation) that is stuck to your skin, much like a tick that latches on to feed. The character has the radical for 'insect' (虫) at the bottom, reminding you that it is a small creature.

Meanings of 蜱

pí(pi2)
1tick, mite
2tick (zoology)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 蜱

蜱Simplified
14Strokes
虫Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蜱

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Podcast: 蜱

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AI Study Notes for 蜱

Usage Notes

When using 蜱, be mindful that it is often used in scientific or medical contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar terms for other insects, so ensure you are clear about the specific type of arachnid you are referring to. It’s typically used in a more formal register.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蜱 is not an HSK word, it connects with higher-level vocabulary concerning animals and health. Students should focus on the insect radical and related vocabulary like 昆虫 (kūnchóng - insect) to build a broader understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蜱 with similar sounding characters like 皮 (pí), which means 'skin'. Remember that 蜱 specifically refers to ticks, while 皮 is about skin. Another mistake is using 蜱 in informal contexts; it is more suited for scientific discussions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蜱

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Etymology of 蜱

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

insect

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

Origin

蜱 = 虫 + 卑. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蜱

IDS Structure⿰虫卑
蜱Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
卑bei1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蜱?

How to say tick, mite in Chinese

“tick, mite” in Chinese is蜱pí

The character 蜱 (pí) refers to a type of arachnid known as a tick or mite. These small creatures are often associated with parasitism, as they feed on the blood of mammals, birds, and sometimes reptiles. In contexts like veterinary medicine or outdoor safety, this term may be frequently used when discussing diseases transmitted by ticks.

When to use 蜱

When using 蜱, be mindful that it is often used in scientific or medical contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar terms for other insects, so ensure you are clear about the specific type of arachnid you are referring to. It’s typically used in a more formal register.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蜱 with similar sounding characters like 皮 (pí), which means 'skin'. Remember that 蜱 specifically refers to ticks, while 皮 is about skin. Another mistake is using 蜱 in informal contexts; it is more suited for scientific discussions.

Write 蜱

蜱

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

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Word Family of 蜱

Words Containing This Character1
蜱pítick (zoology)

Frequently Asked Questions about 蜱

It is pronounced as 'pí'.

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