蛴 (qí): (in 蛴螬) the grub of a scarab be…

Meanings

蛴螬住在土里，啃植物的根。

Qícáo zhù zài tǔ lǐ, kěn zhíwù de gēn.

Scarab grubs live in the soil and feed on plant roots.

农民怕蛴螬，因为它毁庄稼的根。

Nóngmín pà qícáo, yīnwèi tā huǐ zhuāngjia de gēn.

Farmers dread scarab grubs because they damage crop roots.

usage

Bound form. Mostly seen in 蛴螬 (scarab grub, a crop pest); also in the literary 蝤蛴 (longhorn-beetle larva). It is not used alone.

radical

虫 chóng

insect; worm

Left side is the insect radical 虫, appropriate for a beetle larva.

phonetic

齐 qí

even; together

Right side 齐 gives the sound qí. The traditional form 蠐 uses the fuller phonetic 齊.

蛴 qí