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蝌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蝌kētadpolen, 15 strokes, radical 虫
kē(ke1)ke T1
  1. 1tadpole
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March 24, 2026

蝌kē(ke1)

The character 蝌 (kē) refers to a tadpole, which is an early developmental stage of frogs. It is commonly used in discussions about biology, nature, or environmental studies, especially when talking about amphibians or aquatic ecosystems.

Strokes15Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, frogs and their life cycles are often associated with transformation and growth, reflecting broader themes in Chinese philosophy and literature about change and renewal.

Memory Tip

Imagine a small, wiggly tadpole in a pond. The character 蝌 resembles a tadpole swimming with its long tail. The sound 'kē' can be remembered by associating it with a 'k' sound, like a 'kick' in the water, emphasizing its movement.

Meanings of 蝌

kē(ke1)
1tadpole
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 蝌

蝌Simplified
15Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蝌

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Podcast: 蝌

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AI Study Notes for 蝌

Usage Notes

When using 蝌, be mindful that it is primarily found in more scientific or educational contexts. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation. A common collocation is 蝌蚪 (kēdǒu), which means 'tadpole' in a more specific sense.

HSK Study Tips

Though 蝌 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it relates to nature words that learners might encounter at higher levels. Focus on recognizing it in context and learning related terms like 蝌蚪.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蝌 with 蝌蚪, mistakenly using 蝌 when they mean 'tadpole' in a detailed context. Correct usage would be 蝌蚪 for 'tadpole' in biological discussions.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蝌

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Jason Explains 蝌 to You

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Etymology of 蝌

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

Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 科 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

worm

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

Origin

蝌 = 虫 + 科. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蝌

IDS Structure⿰虫科
蝌Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
科ke1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蝌?

How to say tadpole in Chinese

“tadpole” in Chinese is蝌kē

The character 蝌 (kē) refers to a tadpole, which is an early developmental stage of frogs. It is commonly used in discussions about biology, nature, or environmental studies, especially when talking about amphibians or aquatic ecosystems.

When to use 蝌

When using 蝌, be mindful that it is primarily found in more scientific or educational contexts. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation. A common collocation is 蝌蚪 (kēdǒu), which means 'tadpole' in a more specific sense.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蝌 with 蝌蚪, mistakenly using 蝌 when they mean 'tadpole' in a detailed context. Correct usage would be 蝌蚪 for 'tadpole' in biological discussions.

Write 蝌

蝌

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

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Word Family of 蝌

Words Containing This Character2
蝌蚪tadpole
蝌kētadpole
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 蝌

What does 蝌蚪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蝌

It is pronounced as 'kē'.

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