蠕虫 (rú chóng) — worm | TongTong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

noun

worm

Measure word · 条

蠕虫。
Jīn tiān wǒ zài huā yuán lǐ fā xiàn le hěn duō rú chóng.
Today I found many worms in the garden.
蠕虫。
Diàn nǎo lǐ de rú chóng bìng dú huì shān chú nǐ de wén jiàn.
The worm virus in the computer will delete your files.
蠕虫。
Tā yòng rú chóng lái diào yú.
He uses worms to fish.

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

蠕rúwriggle

蠕虫 names a 虫 that 蠕, a wriggling worm.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

虫需蠕

Meaning part形符xíngfú

Sound part声符shēngfú

需

Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蠕 is built from 虫, a sign for a small creature, and 需, which provides the sound.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 蟲; 虫 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 蟲 is the one the reference discusses; 虫 is also a traditional character on its own.

Appears in