蝎 (xiē): scorpion

Measure Word

一只蝎 zhī

Meanings

1 scorpion

Characters

蝎

xiē

scorpion

Examples

HSK 6

在中药中，蝎被用来治疗某些疾病。

Zài zhōngyào zhōng, xiē bèi yònglái zhìliáo mǒuxiē jíbìng.

In traditional Chinese medicine, scorpions are used to treat certain ailments.

HSK 7-9

蝎子的毒液对人类有危险。

Xiēzi de dúyè duì rénlèi yǒu wēixiǎn.

Scorpion venom can be dangerous to humans.

Tips

usage

蝎 is the bound form; the standalone word for scorpion is 蝎子. 蝎 alone appears in compounds like 天蝎座 (Scorpio constellation).

Components

radical

虫 chóng

insect; bug; worm

Left-side insect radical - pictograph of a curled-up creature with a hooded head. Anchors 蝎 in the bug family alongside 蜘 spider, 蚂 ant, 蜂 bee, 蛇 snake. A scorpion is venomous arthropod kin to spiders, so the radical does its job indexing the creature without needing to discriminate further.

phonetic

曷 hé

why; how (literary)

Right side 曷 supplies the sound - hé drifting to xiē through the h/x alternation visible in old finals. Same phonetic gives 渴 thirsty, 喝 drink, 谒 visit a superior, 揭 lift up. None of these share meaning with 蝎; the right side here is pure sound.