蝎 meaning and stroke order
Scorpion
How to write 蝎, stroke by stroke
15 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 蝎
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) scorpion
- variant of 蠍|蝎[xie1]
How 蝎 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Insect.
虫 gives the meaning and 曷 hints at the sound.
Radical: 虫 (insect), shared by 197 characters on this site.
How to remember 蝎
蝎 combines 虫 (insect, creature) on the left with 曷 (hé) on the right, which hints at the sound. Picture a small creature 虫 with a stinging tail, and 曷 reminds you it rhymes with words like 喝 (hē) and 歇 (xiē).
蝎 is a bound form, so it rarely appears alone. Use 蝎子 (xiēzi) for the animal and 天蝎座 (tiānxiēzuò) for the zodiac sign Scorpio. Example: 沙漠里有很多蝎子。(Shāmò lǐ yǒu hěn duō xiēzi.) There are many scorpions in the desert.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 蝎 with 蝇 (yíng, fly) or 蚊 (wén, mosquito) because they share the 虫 radical, so check the right side: 蝎 has 曷. Also, 蝎 is first tone xiē, not hé like its phonetic part 曷.
Common words with 蝎
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 蝎子 | xiēzi | scorpion | |
| 天蝎 | tiānxiē | Scorpio (constellation) |
Questions about 蝎
How many strokes are in 蝎?
蝎 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蝎 mean?
蝎 (xiē) means scorpion. A common word with it is 蝎子 (xiēzi), meaning "scorpion".
How do you pronounce 蝎?
蝎 is pronounced xiē, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 蝎?
The radical of 蝎 is 虫, which carries the idea of "insect". Dictionaries list 蝎 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 蝎?
The traditional form of 蝎 is 蠍. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 蝎 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do I say my zodiac sign is Scorpio in Chinese?
Say 我是天蝎座 (wǒ shì tiānxiēzuò). 座 (zuò) means constellation, and it is added after the sign name.
Is 蝎子 a real food in China?
Yes. Fried scorpions, 炸蝎子 (zhá xiēzi), are sold as a snack in some places, especially at tourist night markets in Beijing and in parts of Shandong.