How to Write 螋 (sōu) — Meaning “Earwig”

Imagine an earwig (虫) with a long, old-man-like beard (叟) hanging from its head. The right side 叟 looks like an old man, and the insect's pincers resemble his beard. This visual link helps you recall both the shape and the meaning.

Write the left radical 虫 (6 strokes) first, making it narrow, then the right half 叟 (9 strokes) wider. A common mistake is mixing up the order of the bottom strokes in 叟—remember to write the middle vertical stroke before the bottom horizontal ones.

蛵 (xīng) uses the right component 巠 (jīng) and refers to a different insect, while 蛸 (shāo) uses 肖 (xiào) and refers to a mantis egg case or spider. Visually, 螋 has the distinct right side 叟, which looks like an old man, unlike the others.

螋 appears mainly in scientific or formal names for earwigs, such as 蠼螋 (qú sōu). You won't hear it in daily conversation, but it may appear in biology textbooks or nature articles. Culturally, earwigs are often associated with their pincers and are sometimes called "pincer bugs."

Common words containing 螋 include: 蠼螋 (qú sōu) — Earwig; 小螋 (xiǎo sōu) — Small earwig; 这种螋 (zhè zhǒng sōu) — This earwig....