# 虫

| 虫 | U+866B, &#34411; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-866B |
| ← 虪 [U+866A] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 虬 → [U+866C] |
| ⾍ | U+2F8D, &#12173; KANGXI RADICAL INSECT |
| ← ⾌ [U+2F8C] | Kangxi Radicals | ⾎ → [U+2F8E] |

## Translingual
### Han character

虫 (Kangxi radical 142, 虫+0, 6 strokes, cangjie input 中一戈 (LMI), four-corner 5013$_6$, composition ⿱中⿰㇀丶)
* Kangxi radical #142, ⾍.

#### Derived characters

* Appendix:Chinese radical/虫
* 独, 浊, 烛, 䂈, 触, 赨, 鉵, 䶚, 㰩, 䳋, 茧, 萤, 痋, 閩(闽), 繭, 虄
* 𭂌, 𠙍, 𫩮, 𡘗, 𢘷, 𢫼, 𨹁, 𨒷, 𣆣, 𣑺, 𣭦, 𤙕, 𦚭, 𭺟, 𪿛, 𧙽, 𬗌, 𧳃, 𫏪, 𮨩, 𮩿
* 𠛿, 𭜫, 𤼭, 𬝋, 𦳶, 𫢀, 𦸞, 𩭃, 𠣜, 𭕛

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 1076, character 19
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 32804
* Dae Jaweon: page 1545, character 7
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2833, character 1
* Unihan data for U+866B

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 虫 :
| Shang | Western Zhou | Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) |
| Oracle bone script | Bronze inscriptions | Small seal script |
| | Old Chinese |
| 虺 | *hŋuːl, *hŋruːl, *hŋlulʔ |
| 豗 | *hŋuːl |
| 鼿 | *hŋuːl, *ŋuːd |
| 虫 | *hŋlulʔ |
| 髡 | *ŋ̊ʰuːn |
| 軏 | *ŋod, *ŋuːd |
| 扤 | *ŋod, *ŋuːd |
| 兀 | *ŋuːd |
| 杌 | *ŋuːd |
| 屼 | *ŋuːd |
| 矹 | *ŋluːd |
Pictogram (象形): a snake.
The character originally represented a type of venomous snake, while the derivative 蟲 / 虫 represented worms and insects (or insect-like things). 虫 was later borrowed for 蟲 / 虫 (possibly via simplification), and the character 虺 was created to represent the original meaning.

### Etymology 1

* For pronunciation and definitions of 虫 – see 蟲 (“bug, including insects, worms, etc.; animal, including human; creature; etc.”). (This character is the simplified and variant form of 蟲).
* Notes:Simplified Chinese is mainly used in Mainland China, Malaysia, and Singapore.Traditional Chinese is mainly used in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.

### Etymology 2

* For pronunciation and definitions of 虫 – see 虺 (“a kind of venomous snake; snake; etc.”). (This character is an ancient form of 虺).

## Japanese

| Shinjitai | 虫 |
| Kyūjitai | 蟲 |

### Kanji

(First grade kyōiku kanji, shinjitai kanji, kyūjitai form 蟲)
* insect, bug
* generic name for animals

#### Readings

As shinjitai form of 蟲:
* Go-on: じゅう (jū)
* Kan-on: ちゅう (chū, Jōyō)
* Kun: むし (mushi, 虫, Jōyō)
As the ancient form of 虺:
* Go-on: け (ke)
* Kan-on: き (ki)
* Kun: まむし (mamushi, 虫)

#### Compounds

* 虫癭(ちゅうえい) (chūei)
* 虫垂(ちゅうずい) (chūzui)
* 虫損(ちゅうそん) (chūson)
* 虫(ちゅう)媒(ばい) (chūbai)
* 虫様(ちゅうよう) (chūyō)
* 亜成虫(あせいちゅう) (aseichū)
* 益(えき)虫(ちゅう) (ekichū, “beneficial insect”)
* 回(かい)虫(ちゅう), 蛔(かい)虫(ちゅう) (kaichū)
* 害(がい)虫(ちゅう) (gaichū, “harmful insect”)
* 寄(き)生(せい)虫(ちゅう) (kiseichū, “parasite”)
* 吸虫(きゅうちゅう) (kyūchū)
* 蟯虫(ぎょうちゅう) (gyōchū)
* 駆(く)虫(ちゅう) (kuchū)
* 甲(こう)虫(ちゅう) (kōchū, “beetle”)
* 蝗虫(こうちゅう) (kōchū)
* 鉤虫(こうちゅう) (kōchū)
* 昆(こん)虫(ちゅう) (konchū, “insect”)
* 殺虫(さっちゅう) (satchū)
* 三葉虫(さんようちゅう) (san'yōchū)
* 仔虫(しちゅう) (shichū)
* 条虫(じょうちゅう), 絛虫(じょうちゅう) (jōchū)
* 食虫(しょくちゅう) (shokuchū)
* 成(せい)虫(ちゅう) (seichū)
* 精(せい)虫(ちゅう) (seichū)
* 蠕(ぜん)虫(ちゅう) (zenchū, “worm”)
* 毒虫(どくちゅう) (dokuchū)
* 爬(は)虫(ちゅう) (hachū)
* 糞虫(ふんちゅう) (funchū)
* 防(ぼう)虫(ちゅう) (bōchū)
* 幼(よう)虫(ちゅう) (yōchū, “larva”)

### Etymology

* Kanji in this term
* 虫
* むし Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
* Alternative spelling
* 蟲 (kyūjitai)
/musi/ → /muɕi/
From Old Japanese, from Proto-Japonic *mosi.

### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) むし [mùshí] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [mɯ̟ɕi]

### Noun

虫(むし) or 虫(ムシ) • (mushi)
* a bug, insect, worm
    Synonym: 昆虫 (konchū)
* a serpent, snake
    Synonym: 蛇 (hebi)
    獅(し)子(し)身(しん)中(ちゅう)の虫(むし)
       shishi shinchū no mushi
       a serpent in a lion
* (figurative) a worm (person living for only one thing)
    本(ほん)の虫(むし)
       hon no mushi
       a bookworm
* (derogatory) a worm (despicable person)
    泣(な)き虫(むし)
       nakimushi
       a sobbing worm; a blubberer
* a temperament (thought which is in the deep in mind) (Can we verify this sense?)
    癇(かん)の虫(むし)
       kan no mushi
       a choleric temperament
* (archaic) a male lover
    Synonyms: 愛人 (aijin), 情夫 (jōfu), 隠し男 (kakushi-otoko)

#### Derived terms

* 虫嫌(むしぎら)い (mushigirai)
* 虫(むし)食(く)い (mushikui, “worm-eaten”)
* 虫草(ムシクサ) (mushikusa)
* 虫螻(むしけら) (mushikera)
* 虫瘤(むしこぶ) (mushikobu)
* 虫刺(むしさ)され (mushisasare)
* 虫(むし)酸(ず), 虫(むし)唾(づ) (mushizu, “heartburn”)
* 虫取(むしと)り (mushitori)
* 虫(むし)の息(いき) (mushi no iki)
* 虫(むし)の垂(た)れ衣(ぎぬ) (mushi no tareginu)
* 虫(むし)歯(ば) (mushiba, “bad tooth, dental caries, cavity”)
* 虫(むし)偏(へん) (mushihen)
* 虫干(むしぼ)し (mushiboshi)
* 虫(むし)眼(め)鏡(がね) (mushi megane, “magnifying glass”)
* 虫除(むしよ)け (mushiyoke)
* 青(アオ)虫(ムシ) (aomushi)
* 赤虫(あかむし) (akamushi)
* 油(あぶら)虫(むし) (aburamushi, “cockroach”)
* 沙虫(いさごむし) (isagomushi)
* 芋虫(いもむし) (imomushi)
* 蛆虫(うじむし) (ujimushi)
* お邪魔虫(じゃまむし) (ojamamushi)
* 貝殻虫(かいがらむし) (kaigaramushi)
* 鉤虫(カギムシ) (kagimushi)
* 兜虫(カブトムシ), 甲虫(カブトムシ) (kabutomushi)
* 皮虫(かわむし) (kawamushi)
* 糞虫(くそむし) (kusomushi)
* 轡虫(クツワムシ) (kutsuwamushi)
* 鍬形虫(くわがたむし) (kuwagatamushi)
* 毛(け)虫(むし) (kemushi, “caterpillar”)
* 黄金虫(コガネムシ) (koganemushi)
* 苔虫(こけむし) (kokemushi)
* 座(ざ)頭(とう)虫(むし) (zatōmushi, “harvestman”)
* 真田虫(サナダムシ) (sanadamushi)
* 死番虫(しばんむし) (shibanmushi)
* 地虫(じむし) (jimushi)
* 尺取虫(しゃくとりむし) (shakutorimushi)
* 鈴(スズ)虫(ムシ) (suzumushi)
* 象虫(ぞうむし) (zōmushi)
* 草履虫(ぞうりむし) (zōrimushi)
* 玉虫(タマムシ) (tamamushi)
* 団子虫(だんごむし) (dangomushi)
* 恙虫(ツツガムシ) (tsutsugamushi)
* 天道虫(テントウムシ) (tentōmushi)
* 毒虫(どくむし) (dokumushi)
* 床虫(とこむし) (tokomushi)
* 長(なが)虫(むし) (nagamushi)
* 泣(な)き虫(むし) (nakimushi, “crybaby”)
* 鳴(な)き虫(むし) (nakimushi)
* 南京虫(なんきょうむし) (nankyōmushi)
* 鋏(はさみ)虫(むし), 蠼螋(ハサミムシ) (hasamimushi, “earwig, maritime earwig”)
* 船食虫(ふなくいむし) (funakuimushi)
* 船虫(フナムシ) (funamushi)
* 本(ほん)の虫(むし) (hon no mushi)
* 蝮(マムシ) (mamushi, “viper”)
* 松(マツ)虫(ムシ) (matsumushi)
* 水(ミズ)虫(ムシ) (mizumushi)
* 蓑虫(みのむし) (minomushi)
* 弱(よわ)虫(むし) (yowamushi, “weakling”)
* 草鞋虫(わらじむし) (warajimushi)

### References

* ↑ Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology 1

From Middle Chinese 蟲 (MC drjuwng).

#### Hanja

Wikisource 虫 (eumhun 벌레 충 (beolle chung))
* Alternative form of 蟲 (“hanja form of 충 (“insect; bug”)”)

### Etymology 2

From Middle Chinese 虫 (MC xjw+jX).

#### Hanja

虫 (eumhun 벌레 훼 (beolle hwe))
* Alternative form of 虺 (“hanja form of 훼 (“type of poisonous snake”)”)

### References

* 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典.

## Vietnamese
### Han character

虫: Hán Việt readings: trùng (持(trì)中(trung)切(thiết))
虫: Nôm readings: tròng, trùng, chòng, chùng
* chữ Hán form of trùng (“Kangxi radical 142”).
* Alternative form of 蟲 (“insect; microbe, germ”)

### References

* 1 2 3 4 Nguyễn (2014).
* 1 2 3 Nguyễn et al. (2009).
* 1 2 Trần (2004).
* ↑ Bonet (1899).
* ↑ Génibrel (1898).