蠶

See also: 蠺 and 蚕

蠶	U+8836, 蠶 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8836

← 蠵
[U+8835]

CJK Unified Ideographs

蠷 →
[U+8837]

Translingual

Han character

蠶 (Kangxi radical 142, 虫+18, 24 strokes, cangjie input 一山日中戈 (MUALI), four-corner 1113₆, composition ⿱朁䖵)

Derived characters

𨽳𧖛𥸢

References

Kangxi Dictionary: page 1103, character 33
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 33890
Dae Jaweon: page 1566, character 34
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2908, character 11
Unihan data for U+8836

Chinese

trad.		蠶
simp.		蚕^*
alternative forms		𧉏蝅𧑯𧌩䗝𧉏蝅𧑯𧌩䗝䗞䘉／蚕𧕽𧖟蠺

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (兓) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
簪	ʔsɯːm, ʔsrɯm
撍	ʔsluːm, ʔsluːmʔ, ʔsluːms, ʔsrum
鐕	*ʔsluːm
憯	sʰluːmʔ, sʰlɯːmʔ
噆	sʰluːmʔ, ʔsluːb
朁	sʰlɯːmʔ, zlam
蠶	*zluːm
蚕	zluːm, hl'iːnʔ
糣	*sluːmʔ
熸	*ʔslom
鬵	zlam, zɯm, *ljɯm
灊	zlam, zɯm, *ljɯm
潛	zlom, zloms
僭	*ʔslɯːms
兓	*sl'ɯm
嶜	*zlum
兂	*ʔsrɯm
譖	*ʔsrums

Etymology

Bodman (1980) relates this to Tibetan སྡོམ (sdom, “spider”). Perhaps cognate to 蔪 (OC *zamʔ, “to entwine”) (Schuessler, 2007), as well as 縶 (OC *tib, “to rope, tether, bind”), with these terms deriving from a Proto-Sino-Tibetan *tip ~ *tu(p/m) (“to wrap up”), whence Burmese ထုပ် (htup, “to wrap, bundle”) (STEDT). The silkworm would thus be seen as a "wrapping (bug)", which is particularly apt when considering the process of sericulture.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): cán (can²)

(Zhuyin): ㄘㄢˊ

(Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): can²
Cantonese
(Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): caam⁴

(Taishan, Wiktionary): tam³
Gan (Wiktionary): con²
Hakka
(Sixian, PFS): chhàm

(Meixian, Guangdong): cam²
Jin (Wiktionary): can¹
Northern Min (KCR): châng
Eastern Min (BUC): càng
Southern Min
(Hokkien, POJ): chhâm / chhêng / chhân / thâm

(Teochew, Peng'im): coin⁵ / cain⁵
Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶zoe
Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): zan²

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: cán
  - Zhuyin: ㄘㄢˊ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: cán
  - Wade–Giles: tsʻan²
  - Yale: tsán
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsarn
  - Palladius: цань (canʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰän³⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: can²
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: can
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰan²¹/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
  - Jyutping: caam⁴
  - Yale: chàahm
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tsaam⁴
  - Guangdong Romanization: cam⁴
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaːm²¹/
- (Taishanese, Taicheng)
  - Wiktionary: tam³
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰam²²/
Gan
- (Nanchang)
  - Wiktionary: con²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰɵn²⁴/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhàm
  - Hakka Romanization System: cam^ˇ
  - Hagfa Pinyim: cam²
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰam¹¹/
- (Meixian)
  - Guangdong: cam²
  - Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰam¹¹/
Jin
- (Taiyuan)⁺
  - Wiktionary: can¹
  - Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sʰæ̃¹¹/
Northern Min
- (Jian'ou)
  - Kienning Colloquial Romanized: châng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰaŋ³³/
Eastern Min
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: càng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡saŋ⁵³/
Southern Min
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhâm
  - Tâi-lô: tshâm
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zhaam
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰam²³/
  - IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou, Taipei): /t͡sʰam²⁴/
- (Hokkien: dated in Xiamen)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhêng
  - Tâi-lô: tshîng
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zheeng
  - IPA (Xiamen): /t͡sʰiɪŋ²⁴/
- (Hokkien: Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: chhân
  - Tâi-lô: tshân
  - Phofsit Daibuun: zhaan
  - IPA (Taipei): /t͡sʰan²⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /t͡sʰan¹³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /t͡sʰan²³/
- (Hokkien: General Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: thâm
  - Tâi-lô: thâm
  - Phofsit Daibuun: taam
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /tʰam²³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /tʰam²⁴/

Note:

Xiamen, Zhangzhou:
- chhâm - literary;
- chhêng/chhân - vernacular.
Taiwan:
- chhâm - literary;
- thâm - vernacular;
- chhân - vernacular (used in 蠶豆).

(Teochew)
- Peng'im: coin⁵ / cain⁵
- Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: tshôiⁿ / tshâiⁿ
- Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sʰõĩ⁵⁵/, /t͡sʰãĩ⁵⁵/

Note:

coin5 - Chaozhou, Shantou;
cain5 - Jieyang.

Wu
- (Northern: Shanghai)
  - Wugniu: ⁶zoe
  - MiniDict: zoe^去
  - Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³zoe
  - Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /zø²³/
Xiang
- (Changsha)
  - Wiktionary: zan²
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡san¹³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 蠶
Mandarin	Beijing	/t͡sʰan³⁵/
	Harbin	/t͡sʰan²⁴/
	Tianjin	/t͡sʰan⁴⁵/
	Jinan	/t͡sʰã⁴²/
	Qingdao	/t͡sʰã⁴²/
	Zhengzhou	/t͡sʰan⁴²/
	Xi'an	/t͡sʰã²⁴/
	Xining	/t͡sʰã²⁴/
	Yinchuan	/t͡sʰan⁵³/
	Lanzhou	/t͡sʰɛ̃n⁵³/
	Ürümqi	/t͡sʰan⁵¹/
	Wuhan	/t͡sʰan²¹³/
	Chengdu	/t͡sʰan³¹/
	Guiyang	/t͡sʰan²¹/
	Kunming	/t͡sʰã̠³¹/
	Nanjing	/t͡sʰaŋ²⁴/
	Hefei	/t͡sʰæ̃⁵⁵/
Jin	Taiyuan	/t͡sʰæ̃¹¹/
	Pingyao	/t͡sʰɑŋ¹³/ /t͡sɑŋ¹³/ ～兒
	Hohhot	/t͡sʰæ̃³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/zø²³/
	Suzhou	/zø¹³/
	Hangzhou	/d͡zẽ̞²¹³/
	Wenzhou	/zø³¹/
Hui	Shexian	/t͡sʰɛ⁴⁴/ /t͡sʰʌ̃⁴⁴/
Hui	Tunxi	/t͡sʰɔn⁴⁴/
Xiang	Changsha	/t͡san¹³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/d͡zan¹²/
Gan	Nanchang	/t͡sʰɵn²⁴/
Hakka	Meixian	/t͡sʰam¹¹/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/t͡sʰɑm¹¹/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/t͡sʰam²¹/
	Nanning	/t͡sʰan²¹/
	Hong Kong	/t͡sʰam²¹/
Min	Xiamen (Hokkien)	/t͡sʰam³⁵/
	Fuzhou (Eastern Min)	/t͡sʰɛiŋ⁵³/
	Jian'ou (Northern Min)	/t͡sʰaŋ³³/
	Shantou (Teochew)	/t͡sʰõi⁵⁵/
	Haikou (Hainanese)	/sai³¹/

Middle Chinese: dzom

Rime
Character	蠶
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	從 (15)
Final (韻)	覃 (159)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	昨含切
Baxter	dzom
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/d͡zʌm/
Pan Wuyun	/d͡zəm/
Shao Rongfen	/d͡zɒm/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/d͡zəm/
Li Rong	/d͡zᴀm/
Wang Li	/d͡zɒm/
Bernhard Karlgren	/d͡zʱăm/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	cán
Expected Cantonese Reflex	caam⁴

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*C.[dz]ˤ[ə]m/

(Zhengzhang): /*zluːm/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	蠶
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	cán
Middle Chinese	‹ dzom ›
Old Chinese	/*C.[dz]ˁ[ə]m/
English	silkworm
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	蠶
Reading #	1/1
No.	6702
Phonetic component	兓
Rime group	侵
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	蠶
Old Chinese	/*zluːm/

Definitions

蠶

silkworm

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 蠶 (“silkworm”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		蠶
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		蠶
Taxonomic name		蠶
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	蠶
	Taiwan	蠶
	Chengde	蠶
	Chifeng	蠶
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	蠶
	Heihe	蠶
	Qiqihar	蠶
	Harbin	蠶
	Jiamusi	蠶
	Baicheng	蠶
	Changchun	蠶
	Tonghua	蠶
	Shenyang	蠶
	Jinzhou	蠶
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	蠶
	Tangshan	蠶
	Cangzhou	蠶兒
	Baoding	蠶
	Shijiazhuang	蠶
	Lijin	蠶
	Jinan	蠶
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	蠶
	Dandong	蠶
	Yantai	蠶
	Yantai (Muping)	蠶
	Qingdao	蠶
	Zhucheng	蠶
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	蠶兒
	Lingbao	蠶
	Jining	蠶
	Wanrong	蠶
	Linfen	蠶兒, 桑蠶
	Shangqiu	蠶
	Yuanyang	蠶
	Zhengzhou	蠶兒
	Xinyang	蠶
	Baihe	蠶
	Xi'an	蠶
	Baoji	蠶
	Tianshui	蠶
	Xining	蠶
	Xuzhou	蠶
	Fuyang	蠶
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	蠶
	Lanzhou	蠶兒, 蠶
	Dunhuang	蠶兒
	Hami	蠶
	Ürümqi	蠶
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	蠶子
	Nanchong	蠶子
	Dazhou	蠶子
	Hanyuan	蠶子
	Xichang	蠶子
	Zigong	蠶子
	Chongqing	蠶子
	Wuhan	蠶
	Yichang	蠶子, 蠶
	Xiangyang	蠶
	Tianmen	蠶
	Guiyang	蠶子, 蠶
	Zunyi	蠶
	Bijie	蠶子
	Liping	蠶崽
	Zhaotong	蠶
	Dali	蠶
	Kunming	蠶
	Mengzi	蠶
	Guilin	蠶
	Liuzhou	蠶, 蠶蟲
	Jishou	蠶兒
	Changde	蠶
	Hanzhong	蠶子
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	蠶, 蠶寶寶, 寶寶, 寶貝
	Yangzhou	蠶子, 蠶
	Lianyungang	蠶
	Lianshui	蠶
	Nantong	蠶兒, 蠶寶寶
	Anqing	蠶
	Wuhu	蠶
	Hefei	蠶
	Huanggang	蠶兒
	Hong'an	蠶
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蠶蟲, 蠶
	Hong Kong	蠶蟲, 蠶
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	蠶蟲, 蠶
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou)	蠶蟲
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	蠶蟲
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	蠶蟲
	Macau	蠶
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	蠶
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	蠶
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	蠶
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	蠶
	Foshan	蠶
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	蠶
	Foshan (Shunde)	蠶
	Foshan (Sanshui)	蠶
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	蠶
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	蠶蟲
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	蠶蟲
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	蠶
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	蠶
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	蠶
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	蠶
	Taishan	蠶
	Kaiping (Chikan)	蠶
	Enping (Niujiang)	蠶
	Heshan (Yayao)	蠶
	Dongguan	蠶蟲, 蠶
	Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an)	蠶
	Qingyuan	蠶蟲
	Fogang	蠶
	Yingde (Hanguang)	蠶蟲
	Yangshan	蠶蟲
	Lianshan (Butian)	蠶
	Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui)	蠶
	Shaoguan	蠶蟲
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	蠶
	Renhua	蠶蟲
	Lechang	蠶蟲
	Zhaoqing (Gaoyao)	蠶
	Sihui	蠶
	Guangning	蠶
	Deqing	蠶
	Huaiji	蠶
	Fengkai (Nanfeng)	蠶
	Yunfu	蠶
	Xinxing	蠶
	Luoding	蠶蟲
	Yunan (Pingtai)	蠶
	Yangjiang	蠶
	Xinyi	蠶
	Lianjiang	蠶, 蠶蟲
	Nanning	蠶蟲, 蠶
	Wuzhou	蠶
	Yulin	蠶
	Hepu (Lianzhou)	蠶
	Danzhou	蠶
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	蠶
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	蠶
Gan	Nanchang	蠶
	Lichuan	蠶
	Pingxiang	蠶蟲
Hakka	Meixian	蠶仔
	Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua)	蠶蟲
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	蠶
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	蠶蟲
	Zhongshan (Wuguishan)	蠶蟲
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	蠶
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	蠶
	Liannan	蠶
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	蠶
	Jiexi	蠶
	Changting	蠶哩
	Ninghua	蠶
	Yudu	蠶子
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	蠶仔
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	蠶仔
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	蠶仔
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	蠶
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	蠶仔
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	蠶
	Hong Kong	蠶蟲
	Luchuan	蠶
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	蠶
	Senai (Huiyang)	蠶
Huizhou	Jixi	蠶
	Shexian	蠶
	Huangshan (Tunxi)	蠶兒
Jin	Taiyuan	蠶, 蠶兒
	Pingyao	蠶兒
	Yangyuan	蠶
	Datong	蠶兒
	Xinzhou	蠶兒
	Lüliang (Lishi)	蠶兒
	Changzhi	蠶
	Linhe	蠶
	Jining	蠶
	Hohhot	蠶
	Erenhot	蠶
	Pingshan	蠶兒
	Zhangjiakou	蠶
	Handan	蠶
	Linzhou	蠶
	Suide	蠶兒
Northern Min	Jian'ou	蠶仔
	Songxi	蠶仔
	Zhenghe	蠶仔
	Jianyang	蠶仔
	Wuyishan	蠶仔
	Pucheng (Shibei)	蠶蟲
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	蠶繭
	Fuzhou (Changle)	蠶囝
	Fuqing	桑囝
	Yongtai	蠶囝
	Gutian	蠶繭
	Fu'an	蠶
	Ningde	蠶繭
	Shouning	桑蟲
	Zhouning	蠶
	Fuding	蠶
	Matsu	絲蟲
Southern Min	Xiamen	娘仔
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	娘仔
	Quanzhou	娘仔
	Jinjiang	娘仔
	Yongchun	娘仙, 娘
	Zhangzhou	娘仔, 蠶
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	娘仔, 蠶貓仔
	Hua'an	絲蟲
	Pinghe	蠶仔
	Zhangpu	蠶
	Yunxiao	蠶
	Zhao'an	蠶仔
	Zhao'an (Sidu)	蠶仔
	Zhao'an (Tingyang, Baiyang)	蠶
	Zhao'an (Wenshan, Taiping)	蠶
	Dongshan	蠶
	Taipei	娘仔
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	娘仔
	Kaohsiung	蠶仔
	Yilan	娘仔
	Changhua (Lukang)	娘仔
	Taichung	娘仔
	Tainan	蠶仔
	Hsinchu	娘仔
	Kinmen	娘仔, 蠶
	Penghu (Magong)	娘仔, 蠶
	Longyan	蠶仔
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	蟲
	Datian	絲蟲
	Pingnan (Shangdu)	蠶仔
	Chaozhou	蠶
	Raoping	蠶
	Shantou	蠶
	Haifeng	蠶
	Bangkok (Teochew)	蠶
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	蠶
	Wenchang	蠶
	Haikou	蠶蟲, 蠶
Central Min	Yong'an	蠶仔蟲, 蠶仔
	Sanming (Sanyuan)	蠶仔
	Sanming (Shaxian)	蠶仔
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	蠶
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	蠶蟲
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	蠶蟲
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	蠶
Waxiang	Yuanling (Shaojiwan)	絲蟲
Wu	Shanghai	蠶, 蠶寶寶
	Shanghai (Chongming)	蠶
	Suzhou	蠶, 蠶寶寶, 寶寶
	Wuxi	蠶寶寶
	Danyang	蠶
	Hangzhou	蠶寶寶
	Ningbo	蠶, 蠶寶寶
	Wenzhou	蠶兒
	Jinhua	蠶兒
Xiang	Changsha	蠶子, 蠶
	Loudi	蠶子
	Shuangfeng	蠶子
	Quanzhou	蠶
Xiangnan Tuhua	Jiangyong	蠶
Yuebei Tuhua	Shaoguan (Dacun, Baitu, Qujiang)	蠶
	Shaoguan (Xiangyang, Xihe, Wujiang)	蠶屎蟲, 蠶
	Shaoguan (Shibei, Xinshao, Zhenjiang)	蠶
	Renhua (Zhoutian)	蠶
	Renhua (Shitang)	蠶
	Ruyuan (Songwei, Guitou)	蠶
	Lechang (Changlai)	蠶絲蟲
	Lechang (Beixiang)	桑蟲
	Lechang (Huangpu)	蠶子龍
	Lechang (Guitang, Pingshi)	蠶蟲
	Lechang (Sanxi)	蠶蟲

Compounds

Japanese

Shinjitai	蚕
Kyūjitai	蠶

Kanji

蠶

(Hyōgai kanji, kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 蚕)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

Go-on: ぞん (zon)^{←ぞん (zon, historical)}^{←ぞむ (zomu, ancient)}
Kan-on: さん (san)^{←さん (san, historical)}^{←さむ (samu, ancient)}
Kun: かいこ (kaiko, 蠶)

Korean

Hanja

蠶 (eumhun 누에 잠 (nue jam))

silkworm

Vietnamese

Han character

蠶: Hán Nôm readings: tàm, tằm

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.