How to Write 蟹 (xiè) — Meaning “crab”

Imagine a crab (虫) that is "solving" (解) a puzzle by pinching it with its claws. The left side 虫 looks like a small body, and the right side 解 has a top part that resembles two crab claws. This visual helps you connect the shape to the meaning of crab.

Write the left radical 虫 first (6 strokes), making it slightly smaller. Then write the right side 解: start with 角 (7 strokes), then 刀 (2 strokes), then 牛 (4 strokes) below — the whole right side should be taller than the left. A common mistake is mixing up the order of 刀 and 牛 inside 解, so remember: 角 on top, 刀 in the middle, 牛 at the bottom.

The key difference is the right side of each character: 蟹 has 解 (meaning to untie), 螫 (shì) has 赦 (meaning to pardon), and 螬 (cáo) has 曹 (a surname). Visually, 螫 has more strokes on top, while 螬 has a simpler right part. In meaning, 螫 means "to sting" (like a scorpion), 螬 means "a beetle larva," and only 蟹 means "crab."

蟹 appears most often in the word 螃蟹 (páng xiè, crab) and in food terms like 蟹肉 (crab meat) and 蟹黄 (crab roe). It is very common on menus and in seafood markets, especially during autumn when crab is a seasonal delicacy. Culturally, cooked red crabs symbolize good luck and wealth, and the saying "秋风起, 蟹脚痒" reminds people that it's time to enjoy crab.

Common words containing 蟹 include: 螃蟹 (páng xiè) — Crab; 蟹肉 (xiè ròu) — crab meat; 蟹黄 (xiè huáng) — crab roe.