蚛 (zhòng) - worm-eaten & damaged by insects

蚛Tone 4

zhòng ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

志

蚛 · zhòng

worm-eaten;

damaged by insects;

to be gnawed by worms

worm-eatendamaged by insectsto be gnawed by worms

Usage highlights

worminsectmothbookworm damagewoodworm damage

Synonyms

  • 蛀— to bore through; moth-eaten
  • 蠹— moth; to bore through
  • 蚀— to erode; to corrode

Antonyms

  • 完— intact; complete
  • 好— good; undamaged
  • 新— new; fresh

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The old books were worm-eaten (书被虫蚛了).
  • Wooden furniture can become worm-eaten (木家具会蚛坏).
  • The insect-damaged fruit was discarded (蚛坏的水果被扔掉了).

Collocations

  • worm-eaten(虫蚛)
  • insect-damaged(蚛坏)
  • moth-eaten(蠹蚛)
  • worm-gnawed(蚛蚀)
  • bookworm damage(书蚛)
  • woodworm damage(木蚛)

Idioms

  • Worm-eaten and rat-gnawed(蚛龁鼠啮)
  • Worm-eaten books and broken tablets(蚛简断编)
  • Worms gnaw and rats nibble(蚛龁鼠啮)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Primarily used in classical Chinese texts to describe damage caused by insects, especially to books, wood, or fabrics.
  • Appears in historical texts discussing the preservation of documents and artifacts.
  • Reflects traditional concerns about material decay and the fragility of cultural heritage.

FAQ