蛻
insect moulting
Strokes13
Readings
On'yomi
- ゼイ
- セイ
- タイ
Kun'yomi
- もぬ.ける
- ぬけがら
Meaning
蛻 centers on the process of an insect shedding its old skin or shell to grow, leaving behind an empty husk.
Most common words using 蛻
- 蛻もぬけ
shed skin (of a snake, insect, etc.); ecdysis
Study
Etymology
蛻 combines 虫 (insect) with 兌, which likely contributes the sound and carries a sense of shedding or exchanging. The character specifically denotes the moulting of insects.
Meaning mnemonic
The insect radical 虫 on the left and 兌 on the right can be imagined as an insect wriggling out of its old skin, leaving the empty shell behind.
Reading mnemonic
For ゼイ, picture a cicada shedding its shell with a sharp, buzzing 'zay' sound: zay -> ゼイ, as the insect moults.