How to Write 蝰 (kuí) — Meaning “Viper (character component)”

Imagine a viper (虫) coiling around a large "K" shape, because the right part 奎 looks like a capital K (if you picture the top as the slant and bottom as two legs). This helps you remember both the sound (kuí starts with K) and the meaning of a dangerous snake.

Pay attention to the right component 奎: it is composed of 大 on top and 圭 (two 土 stacked) below, not just a single 土. A common mistake is to write the bottom part as one 土 or to forget the horizontal line between the two 土. Also, the left 虫 should be narrow and slightly taller than the right side.

The right side differs: 蝰 has 奎, while 蛵 has 巠 (a different phonetic) and 蛸 has 肖. In meaning, 蝰 means a viper snake, 蛵 refers to a type of insect (often a kind of fly), and 蛸 appears in words like 螳蛸 (mantis egg case). Visually, 蛵 and 蛸 are less common and are not used for snakes.

蝰 is not a common character in everyday conversation. It appears mainly in scientific or zoological terms such as 蝰蛇 (viper) and 蝰科 (the viper family of snakes). You may encounter it in biology books or articles about venomous reptiles, but it has no special cultural or idiomatic usage.

Common words containing 蝰 include: 蝰蛇 (kuí shé) — Viper; 蝰科 (kuí kē) — Viperidae (the viper family); 大蝰蛇 (dà kuí shé) — Large viper.