蚺 (rán): boa (a large constricting snake)

Meanings

蚺蛇是靠缠绕捕食的无毒蛇。

Rán shé shì kào chánrào bǔshí de wúdú shé.

A boa is a non-venomous snake that kills prey by constriction.

动物园里展出了一条巨大的蚺蛇。

Dòngwùyuán lǐ zhǎnchū le yì tiáo jùdà de rán shé.

There is a giant boa on display at the zoo.

usage

蚺 normally appears as 蚺蛇, an old word for a python or boa, used much like 蟒蛇.

radical

虫 chóng

insect; reptile

虫 is the insect/reptile radical, used broadly for snakes and worms. It marks 蚺 as a kind of snake.

phonetic

冉 rǎn

slowly; gradually

冉 supplies the sound (rǎn read as rán here) and adds no meaning. The same phonetic appears in 苒 and 髯.

蚺 rán