蟯
intestinal worm
Strokes18
Readings
On'yomi
- ギョウ
- ジョウ
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
蟯 refers specifically to an intestinal worm, a parasitic creature that lives inside the gut.
Most common words using 蟯
- 蟯虫症ぎょうちゅうしょう
pinworm infection; enterobiasis
Study
Etymology
蟯 combines 虫 (insect/worm) with 堯, which likely provides the sound. The character was created to name a specific parasitic worm.
Meaning mnemonic
The insect radical 虫 on the left hints at a small creature, and the right side 堯 looks like a twisting shape. Picture a worm wriggling inside the intestines.
Reading mnemonic
For ギョウ, imagine a wriggling worm that makes you say 'gyow!' in disgust: gyow -> ギョウ, tying the sound to the intestinal worm.