蚕 Stroke Order — How to Write 蚕
蚕 is written in 10 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 虫, then complete the remaining strokes.
Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.
蚕 Radical and Character Components
蚕 is a phono-semantic compound: 虫 (insect) carries the meaning, while 天 indicates the sound.
Radical: 虫 + 4 more strokes
蚕 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- cán
Meanings of 蚕 in Chinese
1
cán蚕
Silkworm; a caterpillar that spins a cocoon of silk, typically referring to the domestic silkworm that feeds on mulberry leaves. The silk produced is used to make fabric.
我小时候养过很多蚕宝宝。
I used to raise many silkworms when I was a child.
Common Words and Phrases with 蚕
1
a term of endearment for silkworms
小时候，我喜欢在桑叶上养蚕宝宝。
When I was little, I liked raising silkworms on mulberry leaves.
2
A small bundle of straw for silkworms to spin cocoons on.
农夫将成熟的蚕放入蚕蔟中，等待它们结茧。
The farmer placed the mature silkworms into the silk frames, waiting for them to spin their cocoons.
3
A broad bean, also known as fava bean.
春天来了，农民在田里种上了新鲜的蚕豆。
Spring has arrived, and farmers have planted fresh fava beans in the fields.
4
A protective silk casing spun by a silkworm larva before it pupates.
这些蚕茧是制作高品质丝绸的原材料。
These cocoons are the raw material for making high-quality silk.
5
The dormant state of silkworms before molting.
养蚕人密切关注蚕眠的迹象，以便及时调整饲养条件。
Silkworm breeders closely observe signs of silkworm dormancy to adjust feeding conditions promptly.
6
A person who raises silkworms; a sericulturist.
每年春天，蚕农们都会忙着喂养蚕宝宝，期待它们吐出洁白的蚕丝
Every spring, silkworm farmers are busy feeding silkworms, looking forward to them spinning white silk.
7
Silkworm excrement, often used in traditional Chinese medicine or as pillow stuffing.
这种枕头里面装的是干燥的蚕沙，据说对睡眠有好处。
This pillow is filled with dried silkworm feces, which is said to be beneficial for sleep.
8
A small bundle of straw or wheat stalks, often shaped like a mountain, provided for silkworms to spin their cocoons on.
为了帮助蚕宝宝顺利结茧，农民伯伯在蚕室里搭建了许多蚕山。
To help the silkworms successfully spin their cocoons, the farmers set up many cocooning frames in the silkworm rearing room.
9
To nibble away at; to encroach gradually, especially on territory, like a silkworm eating a leaf.
这家零售巨头通过不断开设新店，正在蚕食社区小商铺的生存空间。
This retail giant, by continuously opening new stores, is gradually encroaching upon the survival space of small community shops.
10
Natural silk produced by silkworms.
这种面料由纯天然的蚕丝制成，手感非常柔软光滑。
This fabric is made from pure natural silkworm silk, and it feels very soft and smooth.
11
A newly-hatched silkworm, small and black, resembling an ant.
刚孵化出来的蚕蚁非常小，需要细心照料。
The newly hatched silkworm ants are very small and require careful attention.
12
Silkworm pupa.
在中国的一些地方，炸蚕蛹是一道美味的特色菜。
In some parts of China, fried silkworm pupae are a delicious specialty dish.
13
paper on which a silkworm moth has laid its eggs
养蚕人小心翼翼地保管着蚕纸，期待着春天的孵化。
The silkworm breeders carefully kept the silkworm paper, looking forward to the hatching in spring.
More words with 蚕
- sāng桑cán蚕Silkworm, Mulberry silkworm
- shā沙cán蚕ragworm, sand worm
- yě野cán蚕wild silkworm
- yǐ蚁cán蚕newly hatched silkworm, ant larva
- zuò柞cán蚕Tussah silkworm, Oak silkworm
- zhāng樟cán蚕camphor silkworm
- jiāng僵cán蚕Stiff silkworm, Bombyx Batryticatus
- yǎng养cán蚕sericulture, raising silkworms
- cán蚕é蛾silkworm moth, silkmoth
- cán蚕luǎn卵silkworm eggs, silkworm egg
- cán蚕shì室silkworm room, sericulture room
- chū樗cán蚕Ailanthus silkworm, Ailanthus moth
- chūn春cán蚕spring silkworm, silkworm
- yǎng养cán蚕rén人silkworm breeder, sericulturist
- cán蚕bó箔silkworm tray, silkworm mat
- cán蚕fáng房silkworm house, silkworm rearing room
- cán蚕nóng农men们silkworm farmers, sericulturists
- cán蚕shì室lǐ里In the silkworm room, Inside the silkworm house
- yòu幼cán蚕young silkworm, silkworm larva
- yǎng养cán蚕hù户silk farmer, sericulturalist
Idioms with 蚕
- cán蚕shí食jīng鲸tūn吞nibble away and then swallow whole
- chūn春cán蚕chōu抽sī丝continuous intricate endless thoughts or speech
- chūn春cán蚕zì自fù缚to bring trouble upon oneself
- jīng鲸tūn吞cán蚕shí食annex or encroach gradually
- lǎo老cán蚕zuò作jiǎn茧to create one's own difficulties
- cán蚕sī丝niú牛máo毛extremely numerous and fine
- cán蚕tóu头yàn燕wěi尾calligraphy style with heavy start, light end
- chán蝉lián联cán蚕xù绪continuous succession
- chūn春cán蚕dào到sǐ死sī丝fāng方jìn尽deeply devoted until death
- cán蚕cóng丛niǎo鸟dào道perilous mountain path
- cán蚕jì绩xiè蟹kuāng匡nominal but not real
- gǔ谷fù父cán蚕mǔ母gods of agriculture and sericulture
Recommended tools
Writing Worksheets
Printable tracing sheets with a QR learning companion
Open the tool →
Chinese Text Image Generator
Create PNGs with pinyin, highlight character parts or remove strokes
Open the tool →
Character Highlight Animator
Choose character parts and animate their colors, together or in stroke order
Open the tool →
Bingo Cards
Picture and word Bingo for your class
Open the tool →Questions about 蚕
What does 蚕 mean in Chinese?
蚕 (cán) means “Silkworm” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 蚕?
蚕 is pronounced cán in Mandarin Chinese.
How many strokes does 蚕 have?
蚕 has 10 strokes.
How do you write 蚕?
蚕 is written in 10 strokes, starting from the radical 虫. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 蚕?
The radical of 蚕 is 虫, and 蚕 is a phono-semantic compound.