Chinlingo Chinese character: 虫

The character itself is like a worm.

见字如见虫！

The character "虫" (chónɡ) looks exactly like a wiggly worm with tentacles on the head.

汉字"虫"（chónɡ）便是一只顶着尖头，扭动着身体的虫。

In modern Chinese, "虫" is the general name of all worms, insects or bugs, including "蝗虫" (huáng chónɡ, locust), "毛毛虫" (máo máo chónɡ, caterpillar), "青虫" (qīng chónɡ, cabbageworm), "蛔虫" (huíchòng, roundworm), and so on.

在现代汉语中，虫即是虫子的统称。这当中，包括"蝗虫"、"毛毛虫"、"青虫"、"蛔虫"等各类活虫。

In addition, "虫" also refers to a person indulged in something, like "书虫" (shū chónɡ, bookworm) and "网虫" (wǎnɡ chónɡ, net potato), or derogatorily refers to a person with some undesirable characteristic, like "懒虫" (lǎn chónɡ, lazy bone) and "糊涂虫" (hú tu chónɡ, blunderer).

"虫"也可用来形容沉迷某事物而无法自拔的人，比如，"书虫"（shū chónɡ）、"网虫"（wǎnɡ chónɡ）。还可指具有某种特点的人，多有贬义的色彩。如"懒虫"（lǎn chónɡ）、"糊涂虫"（hú tu chónɡ）。

"虫" is also an important radical in forming other characters, which are usually related to insects and animals, like "虾" (xiā, shrimp), "蚁" (yǐ, ant), "蛇" (shé, snake), "蛙" (wā, frog).

"虫"也是重要的汉字偏旁，利用它组成的合体字，其含义多与昆虫、动物有关。比如，形声字"虾"（xiā）、"蚁"（yǐ）；汉字"蛇"（shé）、"蛙"（wā）。

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