How to Write 蜂 (fēng) — Meaning “Bee / Wasp”

Imagine a bee (虫) flying around a mountain peak (夆 looks like a peak). The bee buzzing near the peak helps you remember the sound fēng and the insect meaning.

Write the left radical 虫 first in 6 strokes, making it narrow. Then write the right part 夆: start with the top 夂 (2 strokes), then the vertical 丰 (3 strokes). A common mistake is making the two halves too wide or confusing 蜂 with 峰, which has a mountain radical on the left instead of 虫.

All three have the insect radical 虫, but the right parts differ. 蜂 has 夆 (fēng) and means bee or wasp. 蚯 has 丘 (qiū, hill) and means earthworm. 蚰 has 由 (yóu, cause) and means a type of centipede. Focus on the right component and context to tell them apart.

蜂 appears mainly in compound words like 蜜蜂 (honeybee) and 蜂蜜 (honey). It is rarely used alone. In Chinese culture, bees symbolize diligence and teamwork—for example, the phrase 勤劳如蜂 means "as hardworking as a bee."

Common words containing 蜂 include: 蜜蜂 (mì fēng) — bee; honeybee; 蜂蜜 (fēng mì) — Honey; 蜂窝 (fēng wō) — Honeycomb / Beehive.