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蠖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蠖huòinch-worm; looper caterpillerx, 19 strokes, radical 虫
蠖huòlooper caterpillarunknown, 19 strokes, radical 虫
huò(huo4) T4
  1. 1inch-worm; looper caterpiller
  2. 2looper caterpillar
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蠖huò(huo4)

The character 蠖 (huò) refers specifically to an inchworm or looper caterpillar, which is a type of caterpillar that moves in a distinctive looping motion. This term is often used in entomology and may appear in discussions about ecology or gardening where such creatures can affect plant life. The nuance lies in its association with the unique movement of these caterpillars.

Strokes19Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, insects like the looper caterpillar may symbolize transformation, as they eventually become butterflies. This ties into broader themes of change and growth in Chinese philosophy and literature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny inchworm, named 'Huo', that does a dramatic loop as it inches along a branch. The character 蠖 has the radical for insect (虫) at the bottom, reminding you of its insect nature, while the top part looks like a wiggly worm moving back and forth.

Meanings of 蠖

huò(huo4)
1inch-worm; looper caterpiller
2looper caterpillar
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蠖

蠖Simplified
19Strokes
虫Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蠖

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Podcast: 蠖

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AI Study Notes for 蠖

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 蠖 with other insect-related characters, as it is quite specific to inchworms. This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in academic or hobbyist discussions about insects. When using this word, ensure that the context relates to caterpillars or their behaviors.

HSK Study Tips

While 蠖 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, learners at this level should focus on related words in the animal kingdom and their behaviors. Understanding this character can enhance your vocabulary about nature and biology, which may appear in more advanced discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蠖 with other characters for insects, such as 虫 (insect) or 蝴蝶 (butterfly). Remember, 蠖 specifically refers to inchworms, not general insects.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蠖

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Etymology of 蠖

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

worm

Semantic (meaning)虫
+
Phonetic (sound)蒦
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蠖

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half蒦 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayworm
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 蠖? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蠖?

Decomposition of 蠖

IDS Structure⿰虫蒦
蠖Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
蒦huo4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蠖?

How to say inch-worm; looper caterpiller in Chinese

“inch-worm; looper caterpiller” in Chinese is蠖huò

The character 蠖 (huò) refers specifically to an inchworm or looper caterpillar, which is a type of caterpillar that moves in a distinctive looping motion. This term is often used in entomology and may appear in discussions about ecology or gardening where such creatures can affect plant life. The nuance lies in its association with the unique movement of these caterpillars.

When to use 蠖

Be careful not to confuse 蠖 with other insect-related characters, as it is quite specific to inchworms. This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation but may appear in academic or hobbyist discussions about insects. When using this word, ensure that the context relates to caterpillars or their behaviors.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蠖 with other characters for insects, such as 虫 (insect) or 蝴蝶 (butterfly). Remember, 蠖 specifically refers to inchworms, not general insects.

Write 蠖

蠖

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 蠖

Words Containing This Character2
尺蠖inch worm
蠖huòlooper caterpillar
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 尺蠖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蠖

It means inchworm or looper caterpillar.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蠖?

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