How to Write 蛆 (qū) — Meaning “Maggot”

Picture a maggot wriggling on a piece of cheese: the left part 虫 looks like a bug, and the right part 且 resembles a small table or piece of food. You can also think of the sound "chew" – maggots chew on rotting matter.

The left part 虫 has six strokes: write the vertical stroke down, then the small opening, then the dot. The right part 且 has three horizontal lines: the top and bottom lines are longer, the middle line is shorter. A common mistake is making the middle horizontal too long or misaligning the vertical strokes.

蛆 has 且 (three horizontal lines) on the right, while 虹 has 工 (two horizontal lines with a vertical) and means "rainbow." 虺 has 兀 (a table-like shape) and means a type of poisonous snake. Focus on the different right-side components to distinguish them.

蛆 is used for the larvae of flies, often seen in rotting food or dead animals. Common words include 蛆虫 (maggots) and 生蛆 (to breed maggots). It is a negative word, usually found in scientific, medical, or unpleasant contexts, not in everyday polite conversation.

Common words containing 蛆 include: 蛆虫 (qū chóng) — Maggot; 生蛆 (shēng qū) — To breed maggots; 苍蝇蛆 (cāng yíng qū) — Maggot.