How to Write 蛏 (chēng) — Meaning “razor clam”

Imagine a clam (虫) that looks like a long, thin "razor" and is often served on a plate (呈, which resembles a plate with legs). Or think: "A bug (虫) presents (呈) a tasty razor clam." This links the sound and shape.

Write the left radical 虫 first (three strokes: vertical, horizontal, then a dot), then the right side 呈 (7 strokes). The 虫 should be narrow and tall, while 呈 is wider; keep the bottom of 虫 aligned with the top of the 口 in 呈. A common mistake is making the 虫 too wide or misplacing the dot.

蛏 (chēng) means razor clam and uses the phonetic 呈. 虹 (hóng) means rainbow and combines 虫 with 工 (gōng). 虺 (huǐ) is a mythical venomous snake and uses the phonetic 兀 (wù). Visually, the right side differs: 呈, 工, or 兀, and meanings are unrelated—only 蛏 is edible seafood.

蛏 is used in food contexts, especially in coastal regions of China. The common word 蛏子 (chēng zi) appears on menus for stir-fried dishes like 炒蛏子. In Chinese cuisine, razor clams are prized for their tender texture and are often cooked with ginger, garlic, and chili.

Common words containing 蛏 include: 蛏子 (chēng zi) — razor clam; 炒蛏子 (chǎo chēng zi) — stir-fried razor clams; 鲜蛏 (xiān chēng) — Fresh razor clams.