蛹 meaning and stroke order
Pupa, chrysalis
How to write 蛹, stroke by stroke
13 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
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
Meaning of 蛹
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- pupa
How 蛹 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Insect.
虫 gives the meaning and 甬 hints at the sound.
Radical: 虫 (insect), shared by 197 characters on this site.
How to remember 蛹
On the left is 虫 (chóng), the insect, and on the right is 甬 (yǒng), which gives the sound. Picture an insect sealed inside a case that says yǒng, waiting to change.
蛹 (yǒng) is mostly used in biology and nature talk about insects that go through metamorphosis. It often appears in words like 蚕蛹 (cányǒng, silkworm pupa) and 化蛹 (huà yǒng, to pupate). Example: 毛毛虫变成了蛹。(Máomaochóng biàn chéng le yǒng.) The caterpillar turned into a pupa.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 蛹 (yǒng) with 涌 (yǒng, to surge) or 勇 (yǒng, brave), since they share the same sound and the 甬 part. Check the left side: only the insect radical 虫 means pupa.
蛹 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 蛹
How many strokes are in 蛹?
蛹 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蛹 mean?
蛹 (yǒng) means pupa, chrysalis.
How do you pronounce 蛹?
蛹 is pronounced yǒng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 蛹?
The radical of 蛹 is 虫, which carries the idea of "insect". Dictionaries list 蛹 under this radical.
What is the difference between 蛹 and 茧?
蛹 (yǒng) is the pupa itself, the insect in its resting stage. 茧 (jiǎn) is the cocoon, the silk case some insects spin around the pupa.
Do people eat 蛹 in China?
Yes. 蚕蛹 (cányǒng), silkworm pupae, are eaten fried or stir fried in some regions, such as Shandong and the northeast. In this case the word refers to the food as well as the insect.