蛀 meaning and stroke order
Termite, bookworm; to bore, to eat into
How to write 蛀, stroke by stroke
11 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 蛀
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- termite
- to bore (of insects)
How 蛀 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Insect.
虫 gives the meaning and 主 hints at the sound.
Radical: 虫 (insect), shared by 197 characters on this site.
How to remember 蛀
The left side 虫 (chóng) means insect, and the right side 主 (zhǔ) gives the sound zhù. Picture a bug that has made itself the master 主 of your wooden table, slowly eating into it.
蛀 describes insects or decay boring holes into wood, cloth, books, or teeth. It appears most often in 蛀牙 (zhùyá, tooth decay) and 蛀虫 (zhùchóng), which can also mean a corrupt person who eats away at an organization. Example: 我有一颗蛀牙。(Wǒ yǒu yì kē zhùyá.) I have a cavity.
Common mistake: Learners often write 柱 (zhù, pillar) or 注 (zhù, to pour) by mistake, since all three share 主 and the same sound. Only 蛀 has the insect radical 虫, so remember that bugs do the boring.
Common words with 蛀
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 蛀虫 | zhùchóng | insect that eats into wood, books, clothes etc; fig. vermin | |
| 蛀牙 | zhùyá | tooth decay; dental caries; decayed tooth; rotten tooth |
蛀 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 蛀
How many strokes are in 蛀?
蛀 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蛀 mean?
蛀 (zhù) means termite, bookworm; to bore, to eat into. A common word with it is 蛀虫 (zhùchóng), meaning "insect that eats into wood, books, clothes etc; fig. vermin".
How do you pronounce 蛀?
蛀 is pronounced zhù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 蛀?
The radical of 蛀 is 虫, which carries the idea of "insect". Dictionaries list 蛀 under this radical.
How do you say someone has cavities in Chinese?
You can say 他有蛀牙 (tā yǒu zhùyá) or 他的牙蛀了 (tā de yá zhù le). The word 蛀牙 is the everyday term, while 龋齿 (qǔchǐ) is the more formal dental term.
Can 蛀虫 describe a person?
Yes. Figuratively 蛀虫 refers to someone who harms a group from the inside, such as a corrupt official. A common phrase is 社会的蛀虫 (shèhuì de zhùchóng), parasites of society.