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蝮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蝮fùviper, venomous snaken, 15 strokes, radical 虫
蝮fùinsectunknown, 15 strokes, radical 虫
蝮fùpoisonous snake (archaic)unknown, 15 strokes, radical 虫
fù(fu4)fu T4
  1. 1viper, venomous snake
  2. 2insect
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March 24, 2026

蝮fù(fu4)

The character 蝮 (fù) refers to a type of venomous snake, specifically a viper. It is often used in more formal or literary contexts to describe dangerous snakes or can symbolize treachery due to its poisonous nature. This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

Strokes15Radical虫
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine and folklore, certain snakes like the 蝮 are often associated with poison and danger, reflecting a cultural understanding of nature's threats. This character may appear in historical texts discussing the balance between humans and the natural world.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fierce viper (the 蝮) coiled around a tree, ready to strike. The character has the radical 蟲, which means 'insect,' suggesting its connection to creatures that sting or bite, while the pronunciation 'fù' sounds like 'fury,' reflecting its dangerous nature.

Meanings of 蝮

fù(fu4)
1viper, venomous snake
2insect
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 蝮 means.

About 蝮

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

Podcast: 蝮

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Podcast: 蝮

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AI Study Notes for 蝮

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 蝮 is a more formal term and might not be understood in casual conversations. It's often used in literature or discussions about wildlife. Avoid confusing it with other snake-related terms like 蛇 (shé), which means 'snake' in general.

HSK Study Tips

Though 蝮 is not part of HSK vocabulary, it can be related to other HSK Level 3 and 4 words that deal with animals and nature. Students should focus on recognizing the character's components and understanding its specific context to differentiate it from less harmful creatures.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 蝮 with 蛇 (shé), which refers to snakes in general and lacks the venomous specificity. Another common mistake is mispronouncing it as 'fú' instead of 'fù,' leading to confusion with other characters.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蝮

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Etymology of 蝮

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

worm

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

Origin

蝮 = 虫 + 复. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蝮

IDS Structure⿰虫复
蝮Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
复fu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蝮?

How to say viper, venomous snake in Chinese

“viper, venomous snake” in Chinese is蝮fù

The character 蝮 (fù) refers to a type of venomous snake, specifically a viper. It is often used in more formal or literary contexts to describe dangerous snakes or can symbolize treachery due to its poisonous nature. This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

When to use 蝮

Be mindful that 蝮 is a more formal term and might not be understood in casual conversations. It's often used in literature or discussions about wildlife. Avoid confusing it with other snake-related terms like 蛇 (shé), which means 'snake' in general.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 蝮 with 蛇 (shé), which refers to snakes in general and lacks the venomous specificity. Another common mistake is mispronouncing it as 'fú' instead of 'fù,' leading to confusion with other characters.

Write 蝮

蝮

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

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Word Family of 蝮

Words Containing This Character2
蝮蛇venomous snake
蝮fùinsect
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 蝮

What does 蝮蛇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蝮

No, 蝮 is typically used in more formal contexts or literature.

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