蛇

shé
HSK 5
#1,687 most
frequent character
snake, serpent
noun
Measure words:条 tiáo

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

蛇 combines 虫, an old word for snake or insect, with 它 tā, which means 'a snake' and also supplies a sound that is not obvious in Mandarin. The first meaning was snake or serpent.

Drawn as: snake

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Example Sentences

蛇是冷血动物。
shé shì lěngxuèdòngwù 。
Snakes are cold-blooded animals.
我在动物园看到了很多种蛇。
wǒzài dòngwù yuán kàndào le hěnduō zhǒng shé 。
I saw many kinds of snakes at the zoo.
传说，龙是蛇的后代。
chuánshuō ， lóng shì shé de hòudài 。
Legend has it that dragons are the descendants of snakes.

Same Characters, Different Readings

蛇yí
used in 委蛇[wei1yi2]

Words with similar meanings

毒蛇dúshé
venomous snake
This term specifically refers to snakes that possess venom and is often used in a more specific context.
爬行动物páxíngdòngwù
reptile
This term is more general, encompassing all reptiles, of which snakes are a part.

Homophones

折shé
to snap, to break (a stick, a bone etc)
舌shé
tongue

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Public Lists with 蛇

HSK 5
All words for the HSK 5 test
Environment & Nature
Landforms, habitats, ecological topics, and environmental issues.
Animals
Domestic and wild animal names, as well as insects, birds, and marine life.