Skip to content
Kotomora

蜂

bee, wasp, hornet

StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 5,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ホウ

Kun'yomi

  • はち

Nanori

  • ほ

Meaning

蜂 centers on stinging flying insects: bees, wasps, and hornets. The character groups them under one insect-related idea.

Most common words using 蜂

20 of 82
  • 蜂はち
    N1

    bee; wasp; hornet

  • 蜂蜜はちみつ
    N1

    honey

  • 蜜蜂みつばち

    honeybee (Apis sp.); honey bee

  • 蜂起ほうき

    uprising; revolt

  • 蜂の巣はちのす

    beehive; hive; honeycomb

  • 養蜂ようほう

    beekeeping; apiculture

  • 女王蜂じょおうばち

    queen bee; queen wasp

  • 蜂鳥はちどり

    hummingbird (Trochilidae family)

  • 働き蜂はたらきばち

    worker bee

  • たま蜂たまばち

    gall wasp (any insect of family Cynipidae)

  • アンナ蜂鳥アンナはちどり

    Anna's woodpecker (Calypte anna)

  • 丸花蜂まるはなばち

    bumblebee (Bombus sp.); bumble bee

  • 五倍子蜂ふしばち

    gall wasp (any insect of family Cynipidae)

  • 口底蜂窩織炎こうていほうかしきえん

    phlegmon in floor of oral cavity; Ludwig's angina

  • 喉赤蜂鳥のどあかはちどり

    ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

  • 土蜂つちばち

    scoliid wasp (any wasp of family Scoliidae)

  • 土蜂ゆするばち

    digger wasp

  • 地蜂じばち

    Vespula flaviceps (species of yellowjacket)

  • 姫花蜂ひめはなばち

    mining bee (of family Andrenidae)

  • 姫蜂ひめばち

    ichneumon wasp (Ichneumonidae spp.); ichneumon fly

Explore all words using 蜂 →

Study

Etymology

蜂 combines the insect radical 虫 with 夆, which likely contributes the sound ホウ. The character originally referred to bees and similar stinging insects.

Meaning mnemonic

The insect radical 虫 on the left tells you it's a bug, and the right side 夆 looks like a busy hive with a pointed stinger. Picture a bee flying out of that hive.

Reading mnemonic

For ホウ, imagine a bee buzzing with a deep 'hoo' sound as it flies: hoo -> ホウ, and the bee's hum fills the air.