虱 meaning and stroke order
Bug, louse, parasite
How to write 虱, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 虱
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- louse
How 虱 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Insect.
虫 gives the meaning and 乙 hints at the sound.
Radical: 虫 (insect), shared by 197 characters on this site.
How to remember 虱
Look for the insect 虫 (chóng) tucked inside the hooked stroke of 乙 (yǐ). Picture a tiny bug hiding in a curl of hair, and you have 虱 (shī), a louse.
虱 almost never appears alone in modern speech. People say 虱子 (shīzi) for a louse. Example: 孩子头上有虱子。(Háizi tóu shang yǒu shīzi.) The child has lice in his hair.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 风 (fēng, wind) or 凤 (fèng) because the outer frame looks similar, but 虱 has the hooked 乙 shape on the outside and 虫 inside. Also keep the first tone shī, not shǐ.
Common words with 虱
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 虱子 | shīzi | louse (Pediculus humanus) |
虱 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 虱
How many strokes are in 虱?
虱 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 虱 mean?
虱 (shī) means bug, louse, parasite. A common word with it is 虱子 (shīzi), meaning "louse (Pediculus humanus)".
How do you pronounce 虱?
虱 is pronounced shī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 虱?
The radical of 虱 is 虫, which carries the idea of "insect". Dictionaries list 虱 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 虱?
The traditional form of 虱 is 蝨. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 虱 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 虱子 and 跳蚤?
虱子 (shīzi) are lice that live in hair or on the body. 跳蚤 (tiàozao) are fleas, which jump and are often found on pets.
Is 虱子 used in any common expressions?
Yes. A well known saying is 虱子多了不痒 (shīzi duō le bù yǎng), literally "with too many lice you stop itching." It describes someone with so many problems or debts that they no longer worry about them.