Chinese word

虫子

Pronunciation

Pinyinchóng zi

Meaning

  • nounbug

Example

我不想把虫子带进房间。wǒ bù xiǎng bǎ chóng zi dài jìn fáng jiān

I don't want to bring a bug into the room.

Illustration for 虫子 (bug)

More examples

我用报纸把虫子拍掉了。wǒ yòng bào zhǐ bǎ chóng zi pāi diào le

I swatted the bug away with a newspaper.

Core concept

A small, ordinary insect or worm seen nearby without naming its exact kind.

Common phrases

  • 看见虫子kàn jiàn chóng zi

    spot a bug

  • 赶走虫子gán zǒu chóng zi

    chase away a bug

  • 家里有虫子jiā lǐ yǒu chóng zi

    there is a bug in the house

Similar words

虫chóng: A general noun for small insects and similar creatures living nearby.
昆虫kūn chóng: A biological term for a small animal with six legs and separate head, chest, and abdomen sections.

Definition in Chinese

指小的昆虫或常见的虫类，口语中常用，泛指会在室内、植物或食物上出现的微小动物。zhǐ xiǎo de kūn chóng huò cháng jiàn de chóng lèi kóu yǔ zhōng cháng yòng fàn zhǐ huì zài shì nèi zhí wù huò shí wù shàng chū xiàn de wēi xiǎo dòng wù

Word origin

虫 (chóng, "insect or worm") names the creature, while 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix") gives the compound a common everyday noun form.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect a software meaning from "bug," but this Chinese noun refers to a living creature in ordinary conversation.

Other meanings

  • pestnoun

Related words

Word lists with this word