猥 meaning and stroke order
Vulgar, low; wanton, obscene
How to write 猥, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 猥
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- humble
- rustic
- plentiful
How 猥 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Dog.
犭 gives the meaning and 畏 hints at the sound.
Radical: 犭 (dog), shared by 88 characters on this site.
How to remember 猥
猥 combines the dog radical 犭 with 畏 (wèi, to fear), which gives the sound. Picture a cowering, fearful dog slinking around, and you get the sense of something low, mean, and vulgar.
猥 almost never appears alone in modern Chinese. It lives in fixed words like 猥亵 (wěixiè, obscene; indecent assault) and 猥琐 (wěisuǒ, wretched, sleazy). Example: 他看起来很猥琐。(Tā kàn qǐlái hěn wěisuǒ.) He looks really sleazy.
Common mistake: Learners often read 猥 as wèi because the phonetic 畏 is fourth tone, but 猥 is third tone, wěi. Also do not mix it up with 喂 (wèi, hello), which shares 畏 but uses the mouth radical 口.
Common words with 猥
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 猥亵 | wěixiè | obscene; indecent; to indecently assault | |
| 猥琐 | wěisuǒ | wretched (esp. appearance); vulgar |
Questions about 猥
How many strokes are in 猥?
猥 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 猥 mean?
猥 (wěi) means vulgar, low; wanton, obscene. A common word with it is 猥亵 (wěixiè), meaning "obscene; indecent; to indecently assault".
How do you pronounce 猥?
猥 is pronounced wěi, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 猥?
The radical of 猥 is 犭, which carries the idea of "dog". Dictionaries list 猥 under this radical.
Is 猥琐 an insult in everyday speech?
Yes. Calling someone 猥琐 means they seem creepy, sleazy, or petty, often in how they look or act. It is rude, so use it carefully.
How serious is the word 猥亵?
It is strong and often legal language. In news and law it refers to indecent assault or obscene acts, so it is not a casual word for something merely rude.