蛇 (shé) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 蛇 (shé) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 蛇 (shé) means "Snake". It is an HSK Level 5 character, with 11 strokes and the radical 虫.

Q: How do you write 蛇 stroke by stroke?

蛇 has 11 strokes. The radical is 虫. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 蛇 and 虹?

蛇 (shé) and 虹 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 蛇?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 虫. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 蛇?

Common words containing 蛇 include: 毒蛇 (dú shé) — Venomous snake; 属蛇 (shǔ shé) — born in the year of the Snake; 小蛇 (xiǎo shé) — Small snake.

How to Write 蛇

The character 蛇 (shé) is written with 11 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 虫 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

蛇 is pronounced shé in Mandarin Chinese. It means Snake.

As an HSK Level 5 character, 蛇 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 蛇

毒蛇 dú shé

Venomous snake

属蛇 shǔ shé

born in the year of the Snake

小蛇 xiǎo shé

Small snake

Example Sentences

山里有毒蛇。

shān lǐ yǒu dú shé

There are poisonous snakes in the mountains.

我妈妈属蛇。

wǒ mā mā shǔ shé

My mom's zodiac sign is the Snake.

草丛里有一条小蛇。

cǎo cóng lǐ yǒu yī tiáo xiǎo shé

There is a small snake in the grass.

Similar Characters

虹 hóng

虺 huī

虻 méng

Practice Writing 蛇 (shé)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 蛇 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 蛇

What does 蛇 (shé) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 蛇 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 蛇 and 虹?

What mistakes do learners make writing 蛇?

What common words use 蛇?

How to Write 蛇 (shé)