How to Write 蜞 (qí) — Meaning “leech; crab (component)”

Imagine a leech (虫) wearing a tiny hat that looks like the character 其 on its head. Or picture a crab crawling sideways while writing the shape of 其 with its legs. Both images link the animal to the unusual right-side component.

Pay attention to the balance: the left radical 虫 is narrow and the right part 其 is wider. In 其, the first horizontal stroke is shorter than the second one, so do not make them equal. A common mistake is writing 蜞 with the left and right sides too separated — keep them close.

All three share the 虫 radical, but their right sides differ: 蜞 uses 其, 蛐 uses 曲, and 蛑 uses 牟. 蜞 means leech or a crab component, while 蛐 specifically means cricket (as in 蛐蛐), and 蛑 refers to a type of crab or certain insect. Visually, 蜞 has a more square right side compared to the curved 曲 in 蛐.

蜞 is a rare character, not in the HSK list, and mostly appears in specialized zoological terms. Common words include 蟛蜞 (péng qí, a small freshwater crab) and 蜞乸 (qí nǎ, leech). It is sometimes used in dialect or local names for small aquatic creatures but not in everyday conversation.

Common words containing 蜞 include: 蟛蜞 (péng qí) — Small freshwater crab; 蜞马 (qí mǎ) — water strider; 蜞乸 (qí nǎ) — leech.