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serpent

HSK 5 N1
shé
ジャ、ダ、イ、ヤ
へび
사, 이
Phonosemantic compound. 虫 represents the meaning and 它 represents the sound. Originally written as 它.
Components
insects+ it =
serpent
Meaning component
chóng insects
insects, worms
Phonetic component
it
Pictograph of a snake.
View phonetic series →
Notes
Historical Evolution
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle
(~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze
Early Western Zhou (~1000 BC)
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze
Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Bronze
Early Spring and Autumn (~700 BC)
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal
Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal
Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical
Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical
Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical
Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Regular
Modern
Chinese
[shé]
snake; serpent; CL:條|条[tiáo]
Japanese
へび じゃ くちなわ へみ (old) ヘビ 同音

noun

  1. snake (じゃ is more associated with serpent and large snakes)
  2. serpent; large snake
Example Sentences
Japanese Names
へび
Hebi surname