Insects & Bugs in Chinese 昆虫
kūnchóng
Insect in Chinese is 昆虫 (kūn chóng).
Also searched for as: bug, insect, spider, mosquito.
And the tiny ones? 15 essential insects & creepy-crawlies words in Mandarin Chinese, with pinyin and English. Open it in the app to hear each word, tick off the ones you know and turn them into flashcards.
The word for insect in Chinese is 昆虫 (kūn chóng), but in everyday speech people mostly say 虫子 (chóng zi) for any bug or creepy-crawly. This list covers the ones you'll meet in the garden and at home, from 蚊子 (wén zi), mosquito, to 蝴蝶 (hú dié), butterfly, plus two words you'll need on any summer evening: 咬 (yǎo), to bite, and 痒 (yǎng), itchy.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 昆虫 | kūn chóng | insect |
| 虫子 | chóng zi | bug |
| 蚂蚁 | mǎ yǐ | ant |
| 蚊子 | wén zi | mosquito |
| 苍蝇 | cāng ying | fly |
| 蜜蜂 | mì fēng | bee |
| 蝴蝶 | hú dié | butterfly |
| 蜘蛛 | zhī zhū | spider |
| 蟑螂 | zhāng láng | cockroach |
| 蜻蜓 | qīng tíng | dragonfly |
| 瓢虫 | piáo chóng | ladybird |
| 毛毛虫 | máo máo chóng | caterpillar |
| 蜗牛 | wō niú | snail |
| 咬 | yǎo | to bite |
| 痒 | yǎng | itchy |
Usage tips
- Most insect names contain the 虫 (chóng) radical, as in 蚂蚁, 蚊子, 蜜蜂 and 蜘蛛, so spotting it is a quick clue that a word is about a bug.
- Being bitten uses 被 (bèi): 我被蚊子咬了 (wǒ bèi wén zi yǎo le), 'I got bitten by a mosquito'. Mosquitoes can also 叮 (dīng) you.
- Most insects take the measure word 只 (zhī): 一只蝴蝶 (yī zhī hú dié), 一只蜘蛛 (yī zhī zhī zhū). 瓢虫 (piáo chóng) is a ladybird in British English and a ladybug in American English.
Common mistakes
- Saying a bee 咬 you → bees and wasps sting, which is 蜇 (zhē): 蜜蜂蜇了我 (mì fēng zhē le wǒ).
- Using 苍蝇 for the verb 'to fly' → 苍蝇 (cāng ying) is only the insect; the verb is 飞 (fēi), as in 蜻蜓在水上飞.
Mini dialogue
- A哎呀，我又被蚊子咬了！Āi yā, wǒ yòu bèi wén zi yǎo le!Argh, I've been bitten by a mosquito again!
- B痒不痒？我这儿有药。Yǎng bu yǎng? Wǒ zhèr yǒu yào.Is it itchy? I've got some cream here.
- A特别痒！晚上我们还是别在花园里坐了。Tè bié yǎng! Wǎn shang wǒ men hái shi bié zài huā yuán lǐ zuò le.Really itchy! Let's not sit in the garden in the evenings.
- B好吧，而且我刚才看到一只大蜘蛛。Hǎo ba, ér qiě wǒ gāng cái kàn dào yī zhī dà zhī zhū.Fair enough. Besides, I just saw a massive spider.
- A啊？那我们快进去吧！Á? Nà wǒ men kuài jìn qù ba!What? Let's get inside, then!
Example sentences
- 昆虫有六条腿。Insects have six legs.
- 苹果里有虫子！There's a bug in the apple!
- 桌子上有很多蚂蚁。There are lots of ants on the table.
- 我被蚊子咬了。I got bitten by a mosquito.
- 厨房里有一只苍蝇。There's a fly in the kitchen.
- 蜜蜂在采蜜。The bees are collecting nectar.
- 花园里有很多蝴蝶。There are lots of butterflies in the garden.
- 我怕蜘蛛。I'm scared of spiders.
- 看到蟑螂我就尖叫。I scream whenever I see a cockroach.
- 蜻蜓在水上飞。Dragonflies fly over the water.
- 这只瓢虫是红色的。This ladybird is red.
- 毛毛虫会变成蝴蝶。Caterpillars turn into butterflies.
- 蜗牛爬得很慢。Snails crawl very slowly.
- 这个虫子咬人吗？Does this bug bite?
- 蚊子咬的地方很痒。The mosquito bite is itchy.
Practise speaking
Ready to use these words? The Insects & creepy-crawlies speaking island has 8 everyday questions about insects & creepy-crawlies to prepare your own answers to.