How to Write 蛾 (é) — Meaning “Moth”

Imagine the right side 我 as a person, and think: 'I (我) am a moth fluttering toward a light.' The insect radical 虫 on the left reminds you it is a bug, so the phrase 'I am a moth' helps link the shape to the meaning.

The left radical 虫 should be narrow and take three strokes: 竖,横折,横,竖,提,点. The right side 我 has seven strokes: 撇,横,竖钩,提,斜钩,撇,点. A common mistake is making the 虫 too wide or forgetting the dot at the end of 我.

All three share the insect radical 虫, but their right sides differ: 蛾 has 我 (moth), 蚯 has 丘 (hill, creating the word for earthworm), and 蚰 has 由 (reason, meaning a type of centipede). Their meanings and pronunciations are completely different, so focus on the right part to tell them apart.

蛾 most commonly appears in words like 飞蛾 (fēi é, flying moth) and 蚕蛾 (cán é, silkworm moth). The idiom 飞蛾扑火 (fēi é pū huǒ, a moth darting into a flame) is a cultural expression describing someone who rushes into danger or self-destruction, often for desire or love.

Common words containing 蛾 include: 飞蛾 (fēi é) — moth; 蛾子 (é zi) — Moth; 蚕蛾 (cán é) — silkworm moth.