蛛 (zhū) — (bound form) spider (used in compounds and fixed expressions)

Definition

蛛 is a bound form meaning 'spider' — it never stands alone and only appears in set compounds like 蜘蛛, 蛛丝, 蛛网.

bound form
spider (used in compounds and fixed expressions)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 。
    Fáng jiān lǐ yǒu yì zhī zhī zhū.
    There is a spider in the room.
  • 。
    Zhī zhū wǎng shàng yǒu lù shuǐ.
    There is dew on the spider web.
  • 。
    Jǐng chá fā xiàn le zhū sī mǎ jì.
    The police found clues.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

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

Meaning part形符xíngfú
虫虫chónginsect
Sound part声符shēngfú
朱
朱zhū蛛zhū
Same sound today

蛛 pairs 虫 (insect) with 朱, which gives the sound; it grew from an older drawing of a spider.

Appears in
Insects

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