How to Write 蚩 (chī) — Meaning “ignorant; worm-like”

Imagine a worm (虫) that is so ignorant it crawls into a flat, rocky cave (the lower part looks like a cave opening with a flat roof). The worm's ignorance keeps it trapped there, which helps you recall both the shape and the meaning of "ignorant."

Write the top radical 虫 first with 6 strokes: left vertical, top horizontal hook, middle horizontal, center vertical, dot, then bottom horizontal. The bottom part 㞢 has 3 strokes: a left-falling stroke, a horizontal, then a vertical hook. A common mistake is making the bottom too wide or not centering it under 虫.

The lower part of 虮 is 几 (a table-like shape) and 虰 uses 丁 (a nail shape), while 蚩 has a distinct 㞢 component that looks like a flat top with a hook on the right. In meaning, 蚩 refers to ignorance or worm-like qualities, whereas 虮 means louse and 虰 is a type of insect. 蚩 is also much less common in everyday use.

蚩 is rarely used in daily life; its main appearance is in the name 蚩尤 (Chīyóu), a legendary tribal leader in Chinese mythology who fought the Yellow Emperor. You may also encounter it in classical expressions like 蚩蚩 (ignorant) or 妍蚩 (beauty and ugliness). Understanding this character helps with reading ancient texts and Chinese mythology.

Common words containing 蚩 include: 蚩尤 (chī yóu) — Chiyou (a legendary tribal leader in Chinese mythology); 蚩蚩 (chī chī) — ignorant; simple-minded; 妍蚩 (yán chī) — Beauty and ugliness.