蛀

zhù
#3,975 most
frequent character
termite, to bore (of insects)

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

蛀 has 虫 insect/worm and 主 zhǔ, which supplies the sound. It first meant a harmful wood-eating insect. The meaning grew to insects boring into wood, then to a decayed tooth, and again to an insect that bores.

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Homophones

HSK 1
住zhù
to live, to dwell, to stay
HSK 3
祝zhù
invoke, pray to, wish
驻zhù
station, resident, stationed
筑zhù
to build, to construct, to ram
注zhù
to register, to annotate, note
柱zhù
pillar

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