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蛇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
蛇
shé
snake
HSK 5, n, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #2378, Hard
蛇
shé
serpent
HSK 5, unknown, 11 strokes, radical 虫, rank #2378, Hard
shé(she2)she T2
1snake
2serpent
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March 24, 2026
蛇(虵)shé(she2)
The character 蛇 (shé) refers to a snake or serpent, often symbolizing cunning or danger in various contexts. It is commonly used in both everyday language and literature to describe the animal itself or to evoke certain traits associated with snakes.
Strokes11Radical虫Frequency#2378DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the snake is one of the twelve zodiac animals, representing intuition, elegance, and wisdom, but also potential treachery. The Year of the Snake is often associated with introspection and progress.
Memory tip
Imagine a snake slithering silently through the grass. The character 蛇 has an outer shell (the radical虫, meaning insect or creature) that resembles the snake's body, while the inner part hints at its sinuous nature. Remembering 'shé' can be linked to the sound of a snake hissing.
Meanings of 蛇
shé(she2)
1snake
2serpent
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
Play it, then pick what 蛇 means.
About 蛇
蛇Simplified
虵Traditional
11Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2378Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 蛇
Podcast: 蛇
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AI study notes for 蛇
Quick Contrast
蛇 (shé) vs 蛇形 (shéxíng) — choose 蛇 when referring specifically to the animal, while 蛇形 refers to something that is snake-like in shape.
Usage Notes
Be mindful that 蛇 is primarily used in informal contexts, while more formal references may use synonyms. Common collocations include 蛇毒 (shé dú, snake venom) and 蛇年 (shé nián, the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac). Make sure to pronounce it with the second tone to avoid confusion with other words.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 蛇 connects with other animal-related vocabulary and themes in Chinese culture, including zodiac animals. Students should focus on recognizing the character's structure and context in both spoken and written forms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 蛇 (shé) with similar-sounding words like 社 (shè, society) due to tonal differences. Always ensure the correct tone is used to convey the intended meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 蛇
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 蛇 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
蛇 = 虫 + 它. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 蛇
IDS Structure⿰虫它
蛇Full character
=
虫chong2
left
它ta1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 蛇?
How to say snake in Chinese
“snake” in Chinese is蛇shé
The character 蛇 (shé) refers to a snake or serpent, often symbolizing cunning or danger in various contexts. It is commonly used in both everyday language and literature to describe the animal itself or to evoke certain traits associated with snakes.
When to use 蛇
Be mindful that 蛇 is primarily used in informal contexts, while more formal references may use synonyms. Common collocations include 蛇毒 (shé dú, snake venom) and 蛇年 (shé nián, the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac). Make sure to pronounce it with the second tone to avoid confusion with other words.
蛇 or something close to it
蛇 (shé) vs 蛇形 (shéxíng) — choose 蛇 when referring specifically to the animal, while 蛇形 refers to something that is snake-like in shape.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 蛇 (shé) with similar-sounding words like 社 (shè, society) due to tonal differences. Always ensure the correct tone is used to convey the intended meaning.
Write 蛇
蛇
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Practice writing 蛇 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 蛇
蛇 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
