How to Write 孓 (jué) — Meaning “larva (specifically of a mosquito)”

Imagine a tiny mosquito larva swimming in water: the curved hook is its wriggling body, and the dot is its head. Picture the larva making a "J" shape as it moves — 孓 looks like a letter J with a dot on top. This links the shape to its meaning.

Write the first stroke as a horizontal line that turns downward into a hook (横撇), then a vertical hook (竖钩) that curves left, and finally a small dot on the right. Common mistakes include making the curve too straight or placing the dot on the left side — always keep the tail curved and the dot on the upper right.

Compared to 子, 孓 is missing the top horizontal stroke and has a curved tail instead of a straight one. Compared to 孑, the dot is on the right side of the hook in 孓, while 孑 has its dot on the left. 孓 only means "mosquito larva," whereas 孑 means "alone" (as in 孑然) and 子 means "child."

孓 almost never appears alone; it is always used in the word 孑孓 (jié jué), which means mosquito larva. You might see this word in biology textbooks or when discussing stagnant water where mosquitoes breed. Culturally, 孑孓 are familiar as the tiny wriggling creatures that later become mosquitoes.

Common words containing 孓 include: 孑孓 (jié jué) — mosquito larva.