How to Write 蜗 (wō) — Meaning “snail (component)”

Imagine a snail (虫) carrying a spiral shell that looks like the shape of 呙 — a little house on its back. The right side 呙 resembles a curved shell or a small dwelling, helping you link the character to a snail's home.

Start with the left radical 虫, making it narrow and tall, then write the right side 呙 wider. A common mistake is making both sides the same width; instead, keep 虫 compact and let 呙 extend to the right. Also note the stroke order for 呙: vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal, vertical, horizontal fold hook, left-falling stroke, and finally a dot at the bottom right.

All three share the 虫 radical, but their right-side components differ: 蚯 has 丘 (qiū, hill) and means earthworm, 蚰 has 由 (yóu, cause) and refers to a type of millipede, while 蜗 has 呙 (wō) and means snail. Their pronunciations and meanings are completely distinct, so focusing on the right part helps tell them apart.

蜗 mostly appears in the word 蜗牛 (wō niú, snail). It is also used metaphorically in 蜗居 (wō jū), meaning a cramped living space, like a snail's shell. Culturally, snails in Chinese represent slowness and persistence, and 蜗居 is a common term for small apartments in crowded cities.

Common words containing 蜗 include: 蜗牛 (wō niú) — snail; 蜗居 (wō jū) — to live in a cramped space; humble abode; 蜗壳 (wō ké) — snail shell.