■ radical
shǔ
the name of an ancient state
How it’s built
Pictograph of a silkworm. Can Cong (蠶叢), the legendary ruler of the kingdom of Shu (modern-day Sichuan), was said to have been the inventor of silk.
◎
iconic
characterless component — Depicts a silkworm.
虫
meaning
bug; insect; worm
Through the ages