蜘蛛

Chinese

			spider
simp. and trad. (蜘蛛)		蜘	蛛
alternative forms		鼅鼄／𱌄𬹣 obsolete 䵹鼄／䵹𬹣

蜘蛛

Etymology

Reduplication in Old Chinese (Baxter and Sagart, 1998).

This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): zhīzhū

  (Zhuyin): ㄓ ㄓㄨ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): zi¹ zu¹

• Cantonese (Jyutping): zi¹ zyu¹
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): tî-tû

  (Hailu, HRS): di^ˋ du^ˋ

• Eastern Min (BUC): tĭ-tṳ̆
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): ti-tu

  (Teochew, Peng'im): di¹ du¹

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ¹tsy-tsy
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): zhr⁶ jy¹

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: zhīzhū → zhīzhu (toneless final syllable variant)
    • Zhuyin: ㄓ ㄓㄨ → ㄓ ˙ㄓㄨ (toneless final syllable variant)
    • Tongyong Pinyin: jhihjhů
    • Wade–Giles: chih¹-chu⁵
    • Yale: jr̄-ju
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: jy.ju
    • Palladius: чжичжу (čžičžu)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ʈ͡ʂu⁵⁵/ → /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩⁵⁵ ɖ͡ʐ̥u²/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: zi¹ zu¹
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: zzu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡sz̩⁵⁵ t͡su⁵⁵/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)⁺
    • Jyutping: zi¹ zyu¹
    • Yale: jī jyū
    • Cantonese Pinyin: dzi¹ dzy¹
    • Guangdong Romanization: ji¹ ju¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /t͡siː⁵⁵ t͡syː⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: tî-tû
    • Hakka Romanization System: di^ˊ du^ˊ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: di¹ du¹
    • Sinological IPA: /ti²⁴⁻¹¹ tu²⁴/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: di^ˋ du^ˋ
    • Sinological IPA: /ti⁵³ tu⁵³/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: tĭ-tṳ̆
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰi⁵⁵ ^(tʰ-)ly⁵⁵/
• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: ti-tu
    • Tâi-lô: ti-tu
    • Phofsit Daibuun: di'dw
    • IPA (Xiamen): /ti⁴⁴⁻²² tu⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ti³³ tu³³/
    • IPA (Zhangzhou): /ti⁴⁴⁻²² tu⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Taipei): /ti⁴⁴⁻³³ tu⁴⁴/
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ti⁴⁴⁻³³ tu⁴⁴/
  • (Teochew)
    • Peng'im: di¹ du¹
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: ti tu
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ti³³⁻²³ tu³³/
• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ¹tsy-tsy
    • MiniDict: tsy^平 tsy
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ¹tsr-tsr
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /t͡sz̩⁵⁵ t͡sz̩²¹/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: zhr⁶ jy¹
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (old-style): /ʈ͡ʂʐ̩²⁴ t͡ɕy³³/
    • Sinological IPA ^(key) (new-style): /t͡sz̩²⁴ t͡ɕy³³/

---

• Middle Chinese: trje trju

Rime
Character	蜘	蛛
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Initial (聲)	知 (9)	知 (9)
Final (韻)	支 (11)	虞 (24)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open	Closed
Division (等)	III	III
Fanqie	陟移切	陟輸切
Baxter	trje	trju
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ʈiᴇ/	/ʈɨo/
Pan Wuyun	/ʈiɛ/	/ʈio/
Shao Rongfen	/ȶjɛ/	/ȶio/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ʈiə̆/	/ʈuə̆/
Li Rong	/ȶie/	/ȶio/
Wang Li	/ȶǐe/	/ȶĭu/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ȶie̯/	/ȶi̯u/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	zhī	zhū
Expected Cantonese Reflex	zi1	zyu1

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*tre  tro/

  (Zhengzhang): /*te  to/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	蜘	蛛
Reading #	1/1	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	zhī	zhū
Middle Chinese	‹ trje ›	‹ trju ›
Old Chinese	/*tre/	/*tro/
English	*tre.tro spider	*tre-tro spider
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	蜘	蛛
Reading #	1/1	1/1
No.	11496	17564
Phonetic component	矢	朱
Rime group	支	侯
Rime subdivision	0	0
Corresponding MC rime		株
Old Chinese	/*te/	/*to/
Notes	同鼅見太玄，說文作蟲上知於	說文同鼄

Noun

蜘蛛

1. spider

   • 聖人師蜂，立君臣；師蜘蛛，立網罟；師拱鼠，制禮；師戰蟻，置兵。眾人師賢人，賢人師聖人，聖人師萬物。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
     圣人师蜂，立君臣；师蜘蛛，立网罟；师拱鼠，制礼；师战蚁，置兵。众人师贤人，贤人师圣人，圣人师万物。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

     From: 《關尹子/关尹子》, 300s BCE

     Shèngrén shī fēng, lì jūnchén; shī zhīzhū, lì wǎnggǔ; shī gǒngshǔ, zhì lǐ; shī zhàn yǐ, zhì bīng. Zhòngrén shī xiánrén, xiánrén shī shèngrén, shèngrén shī wànwù. [Pinyin]

     The sages learned from the bees to have monarchs and subjects, and they learned from the spiders to have nets of justice. They learned from the ground squirrels to establish politeness, and they learned from the warring ants to deploy armies. The masses learn from the worthies, the worthies learn from the sages, and the sages learn from the myriad things.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 蜘蛛 (“spider”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		蜘蛛, 鼄蝥 QJ, 蠾蝓 ZW, 蝳蜍 NY, 社公 Q
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		蜘蛛
Taxonomic name		蜘蛛
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛
	Taiwan	蜘蛛
	Chengde	蛛蛛
	Ulanhot	蛛蛛
	Tongliao	蛛蛛
	Chifeng	蛛蛛
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	蛛蛛
	Heihe	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛
	Qiqihar	蜘蛛
	Harbin	蛛蛛, 蜘蛛兒, 蛛蛛兒, 癩癩蛛
	Jiamusi	蛛蛛, 癩癩蛛
	Baicheng	蛛蛛
	Changchun	蛛蛛
	Tonghua	蛛蛛, 癩蛛蛛
	Shenyang	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛, 癩癩蛛
	Jinzhou	蜘蛛
	Malaysia	蜘蛛
	Singapore	蜘蛛
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	蛛蛛
	Tangshan	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛
	Cangzhou	蛛蛛
	Baoding	蛛蛛
	Shijiazhuang	蛛蛛
	Lijin	蛛蛛
	Jinan	阿郎蛛子, 阿郎蛛, 蜘蛛
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Dalian	癩蛛子
	Dandong	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛, 癩癩蛛, 蟢蛛兒
	Yantai	老老蛛
	Yantai (Muping)	老老蛛, 癩癩蛛
	Qingdao	癩癩蛛
	Zhucheng	蛛蛛
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	蛛蛛
	Lingbao	蛛蛛
	Jining	阿郎蛛子, 阿郎蛛
	Wanrong	蛛蛛
	Linfen	蛛蛛
	Shangqiu	蜘蛛, 螺螺蛛
	Yuanyang	蛛蛛
	Zhengzhou	蛛蛛
	Xinyang	蛛蛛
	Baihe	蛛蛛兒
	Xi'an	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛
	Baoji	蜘蜘
	Tianshui	蛛蛛
	Xining	蛛蛛, 蟢蛛兒
	Xuzhou	蜘蛛, 羅蛛子, 羅羅蛛子
	Fuyang	蜘蛛
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	蛛蛛
	Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan)	蛛蛛
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	蛛蛛, 蟢里蛛蛛
	Bayanhot	蛛蛛
	Lanzhou	蛛蛛
	Dunhuang	蛛蛛
	Hami	蛛蛛
	Ürümqi	蛛蛛
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	蜘蛛, 蜇蛛
	Nanchong	蜘蛛
	Dazhou	瘩斗兒
	Hanyuan	蜇蛛
	Xichang	蜇蛛
	Zigong	蜘蛛, 蜇蜇兒
	Chongqing	蜇蛛
	Wuhan	蜘蛛
	Yichang	蜘蛛
	Xiangyang	蜘蛛
	Tianmen	蜘蛛, 蜇蛛
	Guiyang	蜇蛛
	Zunyi	蜇蛛
	Bijie	蜇蛛
	Liping	波絲, 水波絲
	Zhaotong	蜇蛛
	Dali	蜘蛛
	Kunming	蜘蛛
	Mengzi	波羅蜈
	Guilin	蜘蛛
	Guanyang	波絲
	Liuzhou	蜘蛛
	Jishou	蜘蛛
	Changde	蜘蛛
	Hanzhong	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	蜘蛛
	Yangzhou	蜘蛛, 蟢蟢蛛
	Lianyungang	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛
	Lianshui	蛛蛛
	Nantong	蟢蟢, 蟢蟢兒
	Anqing	蜘蛛
	Wuhu	蜘蛛子, 蟢蟢子
	Hefei	蜘蛛
	Hong'an	蜘蛛
Mandarin	Fuzhou (Qinjiang, Changle)	癩蜘蜘
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蜘蛛, 蠄蟧
	Hong Kong	蠄蟧, 蜘蛛
	Hong Kong (San Tin Weitou)	蠄蟧
	Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)	蠄蟧
	Hong Kong (Ting Kok)	蝲䗁
	Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau)	蝲䗁
	Macau	蠄蟧
	Macau (Tanka)	蠄蟧
	Guangzhou (Panyu)	蜘蛛, 蠄蟧
	Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu)	蠄蟧
	Guangzhou (Conghua)	蠄蟧
	Guangzhou (Zengcheng)	蠄蟧
	Foshan	蜘蛛, 蠄蟧
	Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)	蜘蛛, 蠄蟧
	Foshan (Shunde)	蠄蟧
	Foshan (Sanshui)	蠄蟧, 蜘蛛
	Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)	蠄蟧
	Zhongshan (Shiqi)	蠄蟧
	Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)	蠄蟧
	Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)	蠄蟧
	Zhuhai (Doumen)	蠄蟧
	Jiangmen (Baisha)	蠄蟧
	Jiangmen (Xinhui)	蠄蟧
	Taishan	蠄蟧
	Kaiping (Chikan)	蠄蟧
	Enping (Niujiang)	蠄蟧
	Heshan (Yayao)	蠄蟧
	Dongguan	蠄蟧
	Shenzhen (Dapeng)	蠄蟧
	Shaoguan	蠄蟧
	Yunfu	蠄蟧
	Yangjiang	蠄蟧
	Xinyi	蠄蟧
	Lianjiang	蠄蟧
	Nanning	蜘蛛, 蠄蟧
	Nanning (Tanka)	蠄蟧
	Wuzhou	蜘蛛, 蠄蟧
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	蜘蛛
	Ipoh (Guangfu)	蜘蛛
Gan	Nanchang	蝃蛛, 蝃蛛子
	Lichuan	庖繅
	Pingxiang	織蛛
	Jianning	織蛛
	Taining	蜘蛛
Hakka	Meixian	蝲䗁
	Xingning	蝲䗁
	Huizhou (Huicheng Bendihua)	蠄蟧
	Huidong (Daling)	蝲䗁
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	蝲䗁
	Shenzhen (Shatoujiao)	蝲䗁
	Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui)	蝲䗁
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	蝲䗁
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	蠄蟧
	Wengyuan	蝲䗁
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	蝲䗁
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	蝲䗁
	Liannan	蝲䗁
	Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua)	蝲䗁
	Jiexi	蝲䗁
	Luhe	蝲䗁
	Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)	蝲䗁
	Changting	蝲䗁
	Wuping	蝲䗁
	Wuping (Yanqian)	蝲䗁
	Wuping (Pingyu)	蝲䗁
	Liancheng	奇肖
	Ninghua	奇肖子
	Yudu	斜佬
	Ruijin	斜佬
	Shicheng	奇肖
	Shangyou (Shexi)	蝲䗁
	Tonggu (Sandu)	蝲䗁
	Ganzhou (Panlong)	蝲䗁
	Dayu	蝲䗁
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	蝲䗁, 蜘蛛
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	蝲䗁, 蜘蛛
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	蝲䗁, 蜘蛛
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	蜘蛛, 蝲䗁
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	蝲䗁, 蜘蛛
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	蜘蛛, 蝲䗁
	Hong Kong	蝲䗁
	Yangxi (Tangkou)	蠄蟧
	Yangchun (Sanjia)	蜘蛛
	Xinyi (Sihe)	蠄蟧
	Xinyi (Qianpai)	蠄蟧
	Gaozhou (Xindong)	蝲䗁
	Maoming (Shalang, Dianbai)	蝲䗁
	Huazhou (Xin'an)	蝲䗁
	Lianjiang (Shijiao)	蝲䗁
	Lianjiang (Qingping)	蝲䗁
	Mengshan (Xihe)	甘羅
	Luchuan (Daqiao)	蝲䗁
	Chengdu (Longtan)	蝲䗁子
	Chengdu (Shiling)	蝲䗁子
	Chengdu (Longwang)	蝲䗁子
	Chengdu (Shibantan)	蝲䗁子
	Chengdu (Hexingchang)	蝲䗁子
	Weiyuan (Guanyingtan)	蝲䗁子, 波絲
	Yilong (Ma'an)	波絲
	Xichang (Huanglianguan)	蝲䗁子
	Sabah (Longchuan)	蝲䗁
	Senai (Huiyang)	蝲䗁
	Kuching (Hepo)	蝲䗁
	Singkawang	蜘蛛, 蝲䗁
Huizhou	Jixi	蛛蛛
	Shexian	蛛蛛
	Huangshan (Tunxi)	蛛蛛, 蜘蛛
Jin	Taiyuan	蛛蛛
	Pingyao	蛛蛛
	Yangyuan	蛛蛛
	Datong	蛛蛛
	Xinzhou	羅螞蛛蛛, 蟢蛛蛛
	Lüliang (Lishi)	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛
	Changzhi	蜘蛛
	Changzhi (Tunliu)	蛛蛛, 羅螞蛛蛛
	Taibus (Baochang)	狼螞蛛蛛
	Linhe	羅螞蛛蛛
	Jining	蜘蛛, 蛛蛛, 狼螞蛛蛛
	Hohhot	蛛蛛, 羅螞蛛蛛
	Baotou	蜘蛛
	Dongsheng	蜘蛛
	Haibowan	蜘蛛
	Erenhot	蛛蛛, 狼螞蛛蛛
	Pingshan	蛛蛛
	Zhangjiakou	蛛蛛
	Handan	蜘蛛
	Linzhou	蜘蛛
	Suide	蛛蛛
Jiuxing Yumin	Lanxi	蟢蟢
Northern Min	Jian'ou	吊蛛
	Zhenghe (Zhenqian)	天蛛
	Wuyishan	蜘蛛仔
	Pucheng (Shibei)	糴蛛仔
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	蜘蛛
	Fuzhou (Changle)	馬兜爺
	Fuqing	蜘蛛
	Gutian	蟢囝
	Ningde	蟢囝
	Fuding	飛絲
Southern Min	Xiamen	蜘蛛
	Quanzhou	蜘蛛
	Zhangzhou	蜘蛛
	Zhao'an	蜘蛛
	Taipei	蜘蛛
	New Taipei (Tamsui)	蜘蛛
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	蜘蛛
	New Taipei (Pingxi)	蜘蛛
	Kaohsiung	蜘蛛
	Kaohsiung (Cijin)	蜘蛛
	Kaohsiung (Hongmaogang, Siaogang)	蜘蛛
	Kaohsiung (Dalinpu, Siaogang)	蜘蛛
	Kaohsiung (Tianliao)	蜘蛛
	Yilan	蜘蛛
	Yilan (Luodong)	蜘蛛
	Yilan (Toucheng)	蜘蛛
	Changhua (Lukang)	蜘蛛
	Taichung	蜘蛛
	Taichung (Wuqi)	蜘蛛
	Tainan	蜘蛛
	Tainan (Anping)	蜘蛛
	Taitung	蜘蛛
	Taitung (Green Island)	蜘蛛
	Hsinchu	蜘蛛
	Pingtung (Liuqiu)	蜘蛛
	Kinmen	蜘蛛
	Penghu (Magong)	經蛛, 蜘蛛
	Penghu (Pengnan)	經蛛
	Penghu (Xiyu)	經蛛
	Penghu (Huxi)	經蛛, 蜘蛛
	Penghu (Wangan)	經蛛
	Penghu (Cimei)	經蛛
	Penghu (Huayu)	經蛛
	Penghu (Zhongtun)	蜘蛛
	Penghu (Houliao)	蜘蛛
	Penghu (Tongliang)	蜘蛛
	Penghu (Jibei)	蜘蛛
	Penang (Hokkien)	蜘蛛
	Singapore (Hokkien)	蜘蛛
	Manila (Hokkien)	蜘蛛
	Longyan	蝲䗁
	Chaozhou	蜘蛛
	Shantou	蜘蛛
	Jieyang	蜘蛛
	Haifeng	蜘蛛
	Bangkok (Teochew)	蜘蛛
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	蜘蛛
	Singapore (Teochew)	胡蠅虎
	Pontianak (Teochew)	蜘蛛
	Leizhou	𧑃蚜
	Wenchang	紅蜈
	Haikou	龍牙古
Puxian Min	Putian	八臘爺
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	蜘蛛
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	八臘爺
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	八臘爺
	Xianyou	蜘蛛, 八臘爺
	Xianyou (Fengting)	蜘蛛
	Xianyou (Youyang)	蜘蛛
Central Min	Yong'an	爬拉䗁
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)	蠄蟧, 蜘蛛
	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	蝲䗁
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	爪揸, 蛛蛛
Northern Pinghua	Guilin (Dahe)	飛絲
Waxiang	Guzhang (Gaofeng)	蛛蛛子
	Yuanling (Shaojiwan)	蛛蛛, 蛛蛛子
	Luxi (Baisha)	蛛
Wu	Shanghai	蜘蛛, 結蛛
	Shanghai (Chongming)	結蛛
	Suzhou	結蛛, 蜘蛛
	Wuxi	蜘蛛
	Danyang	蜘蛛
	Hangzhou	結蛛, 蜘蛛
	Ningbo	蛛蛛, 結蛛
	Wenzhou	絲網蜘蛛
	Jinhua	蟢, 八腳蟢, 蜘蛛
Xiang	Changsha	蜘蛛子, 蜘蛛
	Loudi	蜘蛛子, 蜘蛛
	Quanzhou	剝絲
Xiangnan Tuhua	Jiangyong	八腳每
	Dong'an	包絲
Yuebei Tuhua	Shaoguan (Dacun, Baitu, Qujiang)	蝲䗁
	Shaoguan (Xiangyang, Xihe, Wujiang)	蝲䗁
	Shaoguan (Shibei, Xinshao, Zhenjiang)	蝲䗁
	Renhua (Zhoutian)	蝲䗁
	Renhua (Shitang)	蝲䗁
	Ruyuan (Songwei, Guitou)	蝲䗁
	Lechang (Changlai)	蝲䗁
	Lechang (Beixiang)	蝲䗁
	Lechang (Huangpu)	蝲䗁
	Lechang (Guitang, Pingshi)	蠄蟧
	Lechang (Sanxi)	香絲老網
Note	QJ - between ancient Qin and Jin ZW - in the vicinity of ancient Zhao and Wei NY - between Northern Yan, Korea and Lieshui Q - ancient Qi

Derived terms

• 棚蜘蛛
• 水蜘蛛 (shuǐzhīzhū)
• 海蜘蛛 (hǎizhīzhū)
• 草蜘蛛
• 蜘蛛恐懼症／蜘蛛恐惧症 (zhīzhū kǒngjùzhèng, “arachnophobia”)
• 蜘蛛抱蛋
• 蜘蛛網／蜘蛛网 (zhīzhūwǎng)
• 蜘蛛綱／蜘蛛纲
• 蜘蛛蒙子
• 蜘蛛蟹 (zhīzhūxiè)
• 蜘蛛鞔
• 蜘蛛章 (“The Spider, the twenty-ninth sura of the Qur'an”)

 

Descendants

Sino-Xenic (蜘蛛):

• → Japanese: 蜘(ち)蛛(ちゅう) (chichū); 蜘(ち)蛛(しゅ) (chishu); 蜘(ち)蛛(ちゅ) (chichu)
• → Korean: 지주(蜘蛛) (jiju)
• → Vietnamese: tri thù (蜘蛛)

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
くも
Hyōgai	Hyōgai
jukujikun

From Old Japanese. Found in the Man'yōshū, completed in 759 CE.

Ultimate derivation unknown. Various theories exist, including:

• from 籠もる (komoru, “to hide inside something”), from the way that spiders hide in their webs
• from 組む (kumu, “to bundle something together”), from the way that spiders wrap up caught insects
• from 雲 (kumo, “cloud”), from the way that spider webs may look vaguely like clouds
• from reconstructed Proto-Japonic *konpo, *konbo (“spider”); possibly cognate with Kagoshima こっ koʔ (< kobu) "spider"; Tanegashima こぶ kobu "large spider"; Amami (Setouchi) こぶ kobu; Okinawan くーばー kuuba; Yonaguni くぶ kubu "spider", etc. If true, then 蜘蛛 (kumo, “spider”) would be unrelated to 雲 (kumo, “cloud”), whose proto-form was likely *kumo, as suggested by Okinawan くむ kumu, Yonaguni んむ nmu, Kunigami and Yoron ふむ fumu.

May ultimately be cognate with Korean 거미 (geomi, “spider”). The kanji are an orthographic borrowing from Chinese 蜘蛛 (zhīzhū).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) くも [kúꜜmò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [kɯ̟mo̞]

Noun

蜘蛛(くも) or 蜘蛛(クモ) • (kumo) 

1. spider
   • c. 918, 深根輔仁 [Fukane Sukehito], 本草和名 [Japanese Names of Herbs, Honzō Wamyō]:

     蜘蛛 楊玄操、知誅二音　一名䖦𬠴_{仁諝、拙牟二音} 一名絡新婦_赤班者　一名蠨蛸_{仁諝、上音蕭、所交反、下本條}　𧋌_音秋 一名蝳蜍_毒途二音 一名社公 一名張公網　一名蝃蝥_{拙牟二音、已上五名、出兼名苑}　一名長蝥_{身小足長、出古今注}　和名久毛

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

1. • 芥川龍之介, 蜘蛛の糸

     御(お)釈(しゃ)迦(か)様(さま)は地(じ)獄(ごく)の容(よう)子(す)を御(ご)覧(らん)になりながら、この犍(かん)陀(だ)多(た)には蜘蛛(クモ)を助(たす)けた事(こと)があるのを御(お)思(おも)い出(だ)しになりました。

     O-shaka-sama wa jigoku no yōsu o goran ni narinagara, kono Kandata ni wa kumo o tasuketa koto ga aru no o o-omoidashi ni narimashita.

     While observing the state of Hell, Shakyamuni recalled that this Kandata had once spared a spider.

   • 1999 March 27, “蜘蛛(クモ)男(おとこ) [Werespider]”, in Vol.2, Konami:

     巨(きょ)大(だい)クモが知(ち)恵(え)をつけた姿(すがた)。糸(いと)を吐(は)き動(うご)きを封(ふう)じ込(こ)める。

     Kyodai kumo ga chie o tsuketa sugata. Ito o haki ugoki o fūjikomeru.

     This giant spider appears to be quite intelligent. It will lock your every movement with its threads.

   • 1999 July 22, “ハンター・スパイダー [Hunter Spider]”, in Vol.4, Konami:

     クモの巣(す)の罠(わな)を仕(し)掛(か)け狩(か)りをする。罠(わな)にかかったものは食(た)べてしまう。

     Kumo no su no wana o shikakekari o suru. Wana ni kakatta mono wa tabete shimau.

     It hunts by laying its spiderweb traps, and it eats whatever gets tangled in them.

Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as クモ.

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 朝蜘蛛(あさぐも) (asagumo)
• 足高蜘蛛(あしだかぐも) (ashidakagumo): huntsman spider
• 足長蜘蛛(あしながぐも) (ashinagagumo): Tetragnatha praedonia
• 穴蜘蛛(あなぐも) (anagumo)
• 蟻蜘蛛(ありぐも) (arigumo)
• 海蜘蛛(うみぐも) (umigumo): sea spider
• 鬼蜘蛛(おにぐも) (onigumo): Araneus ventricosus
• 川蜘蛛(かわぐも) (kawagumo)
• 草蜘蛛(くさぐも) (kusagumo)
• 蜘蛛形類(くもがたるい) (kumogatarui)
• 蜘蛛蟹(くもがに) (kumogani): spider crab
• 蜘蛛切丸(くもきりまる) (kumokirimaru)
• 蜘蛛猿(くもざる) (kumozaru): spider monkey
• 蜘蛛手(くもで) (kumode)
• 蜘蛛(くも)の囲(い) (kumo no i): spiderweb
• 蜘蛛(くも)の糸(いと) (kumo no ito)
• 蜘蛛(くも)の行(おこな)い (kumo no okonai)
• 蜘蛛(くも)の子(こ) (kumo no ko): baby spider
• 蜘蛛(くも)の巣(す) (kumo no su): spiderweb
• 蜘蛛海星(くもひとで) (kumohitode): brittlestar
• 蜘蛛舞(くもまい) (kumomai)
• 蜘蛛膜(くもまく) (kumomaku): the arachnoid
• 蜘蛛目(くももく) (kumomoku)
• 黄金蜘蛛(こがねぐも) (koganegumo): Argiope amoena
• 後家蜘蛛(ごけぐも) (gokegumo): widow spider
• 小町蜘蛛(こまちぐも) (komachigumo)
• 子守蜘蛛(こもりぐも) (komorigumo): wolf spider
• 下(さ)がり蜘蛛(ぐも) (sagarigumo)
• 笹蜘蛛(ささぐも) (sasagumo): Oxyopes sertatus
• 三番叟蜘蛛(さんばそうぐも) (sanbasōgumo)
• 地蜘蛛(じぐも) (jigumo): Atypus karschi
• 女郎蜘蛛(じょろうぐも) (jorōgumo): joro spider
• 真正蜘蛛目(しんせいくももく) (shinseikumomoku)
• 棚蜘蛛(たなぐも) (tanagumo)
• 土蜘蛛(つちぐも) (tsuchigumo) Atypus karschi; tsuchigumo
• 毒蜘蛛(どくぐも) (dokugumo): poisonous spider; (obsolete) wolf spider
• 戸閉蜘蛛(とたてぐも) (totategumo)
• 鳥食蜘蛛(とりくいぐも) (torikuigumo): tarantula
• 鳥捕蜘蛛(とりとりぐも) (toritorigumo): tarantula
• 蝿取蜘蛛(はえとりぐも) (haetorigumo): jumping spider
• 花蜘蛛(はなぐも) (hanagumo)
• 平蜘蛛(ひらぐも) (hiragumo): Uroctea compactilis
• 平蜘蛛(ひらたぐも) (hiratagumo), 扁蜘蛛(ひらたぐも) (hiratagumo): Uroctea compactilis
• 袋蜘蛛(ふくろぐも) (fukurogumo): sac spider; Atypus karschi
• 水蜘蛛(みずぐも) (mizugumo): water spider
• 盲蜘蛛(めくらぐも) (mekuragumo): harvestman
• 幽霊蜘蛛(ゆうれいぐも) (yūreigumo): daddy longlegs spider

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
Hyōgai	Hyōgai

Noun

蜘蛛(こっ) • (ko') 

1. (dialect, Kagoshima) spider

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
Hyōgai	Hyōgai

Noun

蜘蛛(こぶ) • (kobu) 

1. (dialect, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, Saga) spider
2. (dialect, Tanegashima) large spider

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
ち Hyōgai	ちゅう Hyōgai
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 蜘蛛 (ʈiᴇ ʈɨo). Compare modern Hakka reading tî-tû, Eastern Min tĭ-tṳ̆, Min Nan ti-tu. Probably borrowed at a different time or from a different dialect than chichu below.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕit͡ɕɨː]

Noun

蜘(ち)蛛(ちゅう) • (chichū) 

1. spider

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 蜘蛛(ちちゅう)の網(あみ) (chichū no ami): spiderweb

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
ち Hyōgai	ちゅ Hyōgai
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 蜘蛛 (ʈiᴇ ʈɨo). Compare modern Hakka reading tî-tû, Eastern Min tĭ-tṳ̆, Min Nan ti-tu. Probably borrowed at a different time or from a different dialect than chichū above.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ちちゅ [chìchú] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕit͡ɕɨ]

Noun

蜘(ち)蛛(ちゅ) • (chichu) 

1. spider

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
ち Hyōgai	しゅ Hyōgai
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 蜘蛛 (ʈiᴇ ʈɨo). This reading is the kan'yōyomi, and is thus a later phonetic shift after borrowing, read as 知朱.

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) ちしゅ [chíꜜshù] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [t͡ɕiɕɨ]

Noun

蜘(ち)蛛(しゅ) • (chishu) 

1. spider

Derived terms

Derived terms

• 蜘蛛膜(ちしゅまく) (chishumaku): the arachnoid

References

• Fukane no Sukehito (c. 901–923) Maruyama Yumiko, Wu Qian, editors, Honzō Wamyō: Eiin, Honkoku to Kenkyū) (in Japanese), Kyūko Shoin, published 2021, →ISBN.
• “こっ【蜘蛛】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.
• “こぶ【蜘蛛】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.
• “こぶ【蜘蛛】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

Korean

Hanja in this term
蜘	蛛

Noun

蜘蛛 • (jiju) (hangeul 지주)

1. hanja form^? of 지주 (“spider”)

Okinawan

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
Hyōgai	Hyōgai

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [kuːbaː]

Noun

蜘蛛(くーばー) (kūbā) 

1. spider

References

• “くーばー【蜘蛛】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

Southern Amami Ōshima

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
Hyōgai	Hyōgai

Noun

蜘蛛(こぶ) (kobu) 

1. spider

References

• “こぶ【蜘蛛】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.

Vietnamese

chữ Hán Nôm in this term
蜘	蛛

Noun

蜘蛛

1. chữ Hán form of tri thù (“arachnid”).

Yonaguni

Kanji in this term
蜘	蛛
Hyōgai	Hyōgai

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kubu/

Noun

蜘蛛(くぶ) (kubu) 

1. spider

References

• “くぶ【蜘蛛】” in JLect - Japonic Languages and Dialects Database Dictionary, 2019.