蜡

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candle; wax

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

虫 meaning “insect” + 昔 sound ( xī )

Components 虫昔

wax · Heisig RSH #2242

虫 insect + 昔 times past

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
黑头蜡嘴雀	hēi tóu là zuǐ què	(bird species of China) Japanese grosbeak (Eophona personata)
黑尾蜡嘴雀	hēi wěi là zuǐ què	(bird species of China) Chinese grosbeak (Eophona migratoria)
蜡笔小新	Là bǐ Xiǎo Xīn	Crayon Shin-chan, manga and anime series
石油蜡	shí yóu là	petroleum wax
白蜡树	bái là shù	Chinese ash (Fraxinus chinensis), whose bark, flowers and leaves are used in TCM
白蜡虫	bái là chóng	Chinese white wax bug (Ericerus pela)
虫白蜡	chóng bái là	white wax from Chinese white wax bug (Ericerus pela)
白翅拟蜡嘴雀	bái chì nǐ là zuǐ què	(bird species of China) white-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas carnipes)
黄颈拟蜡嘴雀	huáng jǐng nǐ là zuǐ què	(bird species of China) collared grosbeak (Mycerobas affinis)
斑翅拟蜡嘴雀	bān chì nǐ là zuǐ què	(bird species of China) spot-winged grosbeak (Mycerobas melanozanthos)
蜡烛不点不亮	là zhú bù diǎn bù liàng	some people have to be pushed for them to take action
白蜡	bái là	white wax from Chinese white wax bug (Ericerus pela)
发蜡	fà là	pomade
打蜡	dǎ là	to wax (a car, floor etc)
石蜡	shí là	paraffin wax
黄蜡	huáng là	beeswax
蜡台	là tái	candlestick; candle holder
蜡质	là zhì	waxiness
耳蜡	ěr là	earwax; cerumen
虫蜡	chóng là	white wax from Chinese white wax bug (Ericerus pela)

Characters sharing the sound component 昔 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
昔 sound part	xī	past, former; ancient
借	jiè	to borrow; to lend; excuse, pretext
猎	liè	hunting; field sports
措	cuò	to arrange; to execute on; to manage
鹊	què	magpie; Pica species (various)
耤	jí	to plow; to rely on