蛀 zhù termite
termite; bookworm
How to remember 蛀: 虫 insect + 主 lord = termite. The old lord of the manor falls through his chair, and the tiny insect crawling out of the wood is a termite or something as hungry.
Component breakdown
蛀 = 虫 insect + 主 lord
- 虫 insect
- 主 lord
The old lord of the manor falls through his chair, and the tiny insect crawling out of the wood is a termite or something as hungry.
How it is used
- 'To bore/gnaw (of worms and insects)' - 蛀牙 (zhùyá) a cavity/tooth decay, 蛀虫 (zhùchóng) a wood/book-boring worm (figuratively, a parasite embezzling from within an organization).
- The image is of something quietly eaten hollow from the inside.