螺

螺 U+87BA, 螺 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-87BA ← 螹 [U+87B9] CJK Unified Ideographs 螻 → [U+87BB]

螺 U+F911, 螺 CJK COMPATIBILITY IDEOGRAPH-F911 ← 蘿 [U+F910] CJK Compatibility Ideographs 裸 → [U+F912]

Translingual

Han character

螺 (Kangxi radical 142, 虫+11, 17 strokes, Cangjie input 中戈田女火 (LIWVF), four-corner 5619₃, composition ⿰虫⿱田糸)

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1095, character 12
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 33512
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2885, character 5
• Unihan data for U+87BA

• Unihan data for U+F911

Chinese

simp. and trad.		螺
alternative forms		蠃

Glyph origin

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

	Old Chinese
摞	*roːl, *roːls
騾	*roːl
螺	*roːl
蔂	*roːl, *rul
虆	*roːl, *rul
瘰	*roːlʔ
礌	*ruːl, *ruːls
雷	*ruːl
擂	*ruːl, *ruːls
攂	*ruːl, *ruːls
礧	*ruːll, *ruːlʔ, *ruːls
儡	*ruːl, *ruːlʔ, *ruːls
瓃	*ruːl, *rul, *ruls
櫑	*ruːl, *ruːlʔ
鑘	*ruːl, *ruːlʔ
鐳	*ruːl
畾	*ruːl
轠	*ruːl, *rulʔ
罍	*ruːl
蕾	*ruːlʔ
癗	*ruːlʔ
磥	*ruːlʔ
累	*ruːls, *rolʔ, *rols
儽	*ruːls, *rul
樏	*rolʔ, *rul
鸓	*rul, *rulʔ
嫘	*rul
纍	*rul, *ruls
欙	*rul
纝	*rul
壘	*rulʔ
櫐	*rulʔ
蘽	*rulʔ
藟	*rulʔ
讄	*rulʔ

Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *roːl): semantic 虫 + phonetic 累 (OC *ruːls, *rolʔ, *rols).

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *kroj (“shellfish, shell”). From the same root derives 蝸 (OC *kroːl, *kʷroːl, “terrestrial snail”).

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): luó (luo²)

  (Zhuyin): ㄌㄨㄛˊ

  (Xi'an, Guanzhong Pinyin): luó

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): lo⁴ / lo^4-2

  (Dongguan, Jyutping++): ngoe⁴

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): lo³ / lo⁴

• Gan (Wiktionary): lo⁴
• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): lò

  (Hailu, HRS): lo

  (Meixian, Guangdong): lo²

• Jin (Wiktionary): lue¹
• Eastern Min (BUC): lòi
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): loe² / luei² / lui²
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): lê / lêr / lô / lô͘

  (Teochew, Peng'im): lo⁵ / lo¹

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): le⁵ / lo⁵

• Wu (Wugniu)
  • (Northern): ⁶lu / ²lu / ²lou / ²lo
  • (Jinhua): ²luo
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): lo²

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: luó
    • Zhuyin: ㄌㄨㄛˊ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: luó
    • Wade–Giles: lo²
    • Yale: lwó
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: luo
    • Palladius: ло (lo)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lu̯ɔ³⁵/
  • (Xi'an)
    • Guanzhong Pinyin: luó
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /luo²⁴/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: lo⁴ / lo^4-2
    • Yale: lòh / ló
    • Cantonese Pinyin: lo⁴ / lo^4-2
    • Guangdong Romanization: lo⁴ / lo^4-2
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lɔː²¹/, /lɔː²¹⁻³⁵/
  • (Dongguan, Guancheng)
    • Jyutping++: ngoe⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋø²¹/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: lo³ / lo⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lᵘɔ²²/, /lᵘɔ²¹/

Note: lo4 - “aquatic snail”.

• Gan
  • (Nanchang)
    • Wiktionary: lo⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lo³⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: lò
    • Hakka Romanization System: lo^ˇ
    • Hagfa Pinyim: lo²
    • Sinological IPA: /lo¹¹/
  • (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
    • Hakka Romanization System: lo
    • Sinological IPA: /lo⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: lo²
    • Sinological IPA: /lo¹¹/
• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: lue¹
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /luɤ¹¹/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: lòi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /l̃øy⁵³/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: loe²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: lé̤
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lø¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: loe²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lø²⁴/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: luei²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: lói
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /luei¹³/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: lui²
    • Báⁿ-uā-ci̍: lúi
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lui¹³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: lui²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lui²⁴/

Note:

• loe2 - vernacular;
• luei2 - literary (as in 螺紋);
• lui2 - used in toponym 螺洲.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan, Magong, Hsinchu, Taichung)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lê
    • Tâi-lô: lê
    • Phofsit Daibuun: lee
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Taipei, Tainan, Yilan): /le²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /le¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /le²³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang, Sanxia, Kinmen, Hsinchu)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lêr
    • Tâi-lô: lêr
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Lukang, Kinmen): /lə²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lô
    • Tâi-lô: lô
    • Phofsit Daibuun: looi
    • Sinological IPA (Xiamen, Quanzhou): /lo²⁴/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: lô͘
    • Tâi-lô: lôo
    • Phofsit Daibuun: loo
    • Sinological IPA (Quanzhou, Taipei): /lɔ²⁴/
    • Sinological IPA (Kaohsiung): /lɔ²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhangzhou): /lɔ¹³/

Note:

• lê/lêr - vernacular;
• lô/lô͘ - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: lo⁵ / lo¹
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: lô / lo
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lo⁵⁵/, /lo³³/

Note: lo1 - only in 庵螺 (am1 lo1).

• • (Leizhou)
    • Leizhou Pinyin: le⁵ / lo⁵
    • Sinological IPA: /lɛ²²/, /lɔ²²/

Note:

• le5 - vernacular;
• lo5 - literary.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶lu
    • MiniDict: lu^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³lu
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /lu²³/
  • (Northern: Jiading, Songjiang, Chongming)
    • Wugniu: ²lu
    • MiniDict: lu^平
    • Sinological IPA (Jiading): /lu³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Songjiang): /lu³¹/
    • Sinological IPA (Chongming): /ɦlu²⁴/
  • (Northern: Suzhou, Changzhou, Fuyang, Ningbo, Zhoushan)
    • Wugniu: ²lou
    • MiniDict: lou^平
    • Sinological IPA (Suzhou): /ləu²²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Changzhou): /lɤɯ¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Fuyang): /lʊ¹¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Ningbo): /ləu³¹³/
    • Sinological IPA (Zhoushan): /lau²²/
  • (Northern: Hangzhou, Shaoxing)
    • Wugniu: ²lo
    • MiniDict: lo^平
    • Sinological IPA (Hangzhou): /lo²³/
    • Sinological IPA (Shaoxing): /lo²³¹/
  • (Jinhua)
    • Wugniu: ²luo
    • Sinological IPA (Jinhua): /luɤ³¹³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: lo²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /lo¹³/

---

• Middle Chinese: lwa

Rime
Character	螺
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	來 (37)
Final (韻)	戈 (95)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Closed
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	落戈切
Baxter	lwa
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/luɑ/
Pan Wuyun	/luɑ/
Shao Rongfen	/luɑ/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/lwa/
Li Rong	/luɑ/
Wang Li	/luɑ/
Bernhard Karlgren	/luɑ/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	luó
Expected Cantonese Reflex	lo4

• Old Chinese

  (Baxter–Sagart): /*k.rˤoj/

  (Zhengzhang): /*roːl/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	螺
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	luó
Middle Chinese	‹ lwa ›
Old Chinese	/*k.rˁoj/
English	spiral, snail
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	螺
Reading #	1/1
No.	7701
Phonetic component	畾
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	3
Corresponding MC rime	𩼊
Old Chinese	/*roːl/
Notes	見論衡說文作蠃

Definitions

螺

1. aquatic snail (as opposed to a terrestrial snail, 蝸 / 蜗 (wō))
2. whorl; swirl; spiral
3. fingerprint whorls
4. (organic chemistry) spiro-

   螺內酯／螺内酯  ―  luónèizhǐ  ―  spironolactone

5. (transgender slang) short for 螺內酯／螺内酯 (luónèizhǐ, “spironolactone”); spiro
6. (historical) wine cup made from a snail shell
7. (historical) ink; pigment (green-black in color, produced from the snail, and used by women for drawing eyebrows)
8. short for 螺髻 (“hair done up in a coil shape”)

See also

• (spiro): 補／补 (bǔ, “E”), 色 (sè, “cypro”)

Compounds

• 吃螺絲 / 吃螺丝 (chī luósī)
• 吹法螺
• 大吹法螺 (dàchuīfǎluó)
• 大法螺
• 天狗螺
• 峨螺 (éluó)
• 指螺
• 旋螺
• 木螺釘 / 木螺钉
• 泡螺
• 法螺 (fǎluó)
• 海螺 (hǎiluó)
• 玉螺
• 瑪瑙螺 / 玛瑙螺 (mǎnǎo luó)
• 田螺 (tiánluó)
• 白螺 (Báiluó)
• 碧螺春 (bìluóchūn)
• 竹陀螺
• 筍螺 / 笋螺
• 篷螺 (péngluó)
• 紅螺 / 红螺
• 蝸螺 / 蜗螺
• 螺內酯 / 螺内酯 (luónèizhǐ)
• 螺子墨
• 螺子黛
• 螺山 (Luóshān)
• 螺帽 (luómào)
• 螺旋 (luóxuán)
• 螺旋槳 / 螺旋桨 (luóxuánjiǎng)
• 螺旋狀 / 螺旋状
• 螺旋菌
• 螺旋體 / 螺旋体 (luóxuántǐ)
• 螺杯
• 螺栓 (luóshuān)
• 螺模
• 螺槳 / 螺桨
• 螺槳船 / 螺桨船
• 螺母 (luómǔ)
• 螺溪石硯 / 螺溪石砚
• 螺溪硯 / 螺溪砚
• 螺烷
• 螺紋 / 螺纹 (luówén)
• 螺紋鑽 / 螺纹钻
• 螺絲 / 螺丝 (luósī)
• 螺絲刀 / 螺丝刀 (luósīdāo)
• 螺絲崗 / 螺丝岗
• 螺絲帽 / 螺丝帽 (luósīmào)
• 螺絲扣 / 螺丝扣
• 螺絲攻 / 螺丝攻
• 螺絲模 / 螺丝模
• 螺絲母 / 螺丝母 (luósīmǔ)
• 螺絲起子 / 螺丝起子 (luósī qǐzi)
• 螺絲釘 / 螺丝钉 (luósīdīng)
• 螺絲髻 / 螺丝髻
• 螺線圈 / 螺线圈
• 螺號 / 螺号 (luóhào)
• 螺螄 / 螺蛳 (luósī)
• 螺螄轉兒 / 螺蛳转儿
• 螺貝 / 螺贝 (luóbèi)
• 螺距 (luójù)
• 螺釘 / 螺钉 (luódīng)
• 螺鈿 / 螺钿 (luódiàn)
• 螺階 / 螺阶
• 螺青
• 螺髻
• 螺墨
• 螺黛
• 蠑螺 / 蝾螺
• 裹螺螄 / 裹螺蛳
• 西螺 (Xīluó)
• 鈿螺 / 钿螺
• 陀螺 (tuóluó)
• 霆水螺 (tân-chúi-lê) (Min Nan)
• 青螺
• 骨螺
• 鮑螺 / 鲍螺
• 鸚鵡螺 / 鹦鹉螺 (yīngwǔluó)
• 黛螺

References

• “螺”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎^[1], 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–
• “螺”, in 《教育部臺灣台語常用詞辭典》 [Ministry of Education Dictionary of Frequently-Used Taiwanese Taigi] (overall work in Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien), 中華民國教育部 [Ministry of Education, R.O.C.], 2026.
• 李如龙 [Lǐ Rúlóng]; 刘福铸 [Liú Fúzhù]; 吴华英 [Wú Huáyīng]; 黄国城 [Huáng Guóchéng] (2019), “螺”, in 《莆仙方言调查报告》 [Investigation Report on the Puxian Topolect] (overall work in Mandarin and Puxian Min), 厦门大学出版社 [Xiamen University Press], →ISBN, page 128.

Japanese

Kanji

螺

(Jinmeiyō kanji)

1. spiral-shaped shellfish

Readings

• Go-on: ら (ra)
• Kan-on: ら (ra)
• Kun: つぶ (tsubu, 螺)、つび (tsubi, 螺)、つみ (tsumi, 螺)、にし (nishi, 螺)、にな (nina, 螺)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
螺
ら Jinmeiyō
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 螺 (lwa, “conch; spiral”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɾa̠]
• (Tokyo) ら [ráꜜ] (Atamadaka – [1])

Noun

螺(ら) • (ra) 

1. any shellfish with a spiral shell

Usage notes

In compounds, may lend meanings of either shell or spiral.

Derived terms

• 螺階(らかい) (rakai): a spiral staircase
• 螺子(らし) (rashi): a screw (more commonly read as neji)
• 螺旋(らせん) (rasen): a spiral
• 螺鈿(らでん) (raden): mother of pearl
• 螺杯(らはい) (rahai), 螺盃(らはい) (rahai): a drinking cup made from the shell of a Turbo marmoratus or green turban snail
• 螺髪(らほつ) (rahotsu): one of the thirty-two different appearances of Buddha, shown in statuary with a hairstyle consisting of knobby spirals of hair
• 螺髻(らけい) (rakei): a hairstyle with the hair wrapped up in a spiral bun similar in shape to a conch shell; a high, verdant mountain

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
螺
つび Jinmeiyō
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese. Cognate with 粒 (tsubu, “grain; granule, little roundish bit of something”). May have originally been the standalone form; compare 神 (kamu, bound form, only used in compounds) and 神 (kami, standalone form).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡sɨbʲi]

Noun

螺(つび) • (tsubi) 

1. (obsolete) spiral shellfish, especially smaller ones
2. (obsolete) synonym of 蛤 (hamaguri, “clam”)

Etymology 3

螺 (tsubu, tsubi, tsumi): a variety of whelks for sale.

Kanji in this term
螺
つぶ Jinmeiyō
kun'yomi

From Old Japanese. Cognate with 粒 (tsubu, “grain; granule, little roundish bit of something”). May have originally been the combining form; compare 神 (kamu, bound form, only used in compounds) and 神 (kami, standalone form).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡sɨbɯ̟]
• (Tokyo) つぶ [tsúꜜbù] (Atamadaka – [1])

Noun

螺(つぶ) or 螺(ツブ) • (tsubu) 

1. spiral shellfish, especially smaller ones
2. edible marine whelks of family Buccinidae
3. synonym of 田螺 (tanishi, “river snails of family Viviparidae”)

Usage notes

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

Derived terms

• 螺貝(つぶがい) (tsubugai): whelks and other spiral shellfish

Etymology 4

Kanji in this term
螺
つみ Jinmeiyō
kun'yomi

/t͡subi/ → /t͡sumi/

Shift in pronunciation from tsubi above.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [t͡sɨmʲi]

Noun

螺(つみ) • (tsumi) 

1. (obsolete) spiral shellfish, especially smaller ones

Etymology 5

Kanji in this term
螺
にし Jinmeiyō
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
辛螺

From Old Japanese. Previously referred to any shellfish with a spiral shell (see ra above). Now refers more specifically to certain spiral shellfish. More common in compounds.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɲ̟iɕi]
• (Tokyo) にし [níꜜshì] (Atamadaka – [1])

Noun

螺(にし) • (nishi) 

1. (rare) certain shellfish with a spiral shell

Synonyms

• 蜷(にな) (nina), 河貝子(にな) (nina)

Derived terms

• 螺肴(にしざかな) (nishizakana): a side dish served at New Years celebrations, made from boiled or stewed 田螺 (tanishi, “river snails of family Viviparidae”)
• 赤螺(あかにし) (akanishi): Rapana venosa, the veined rapa whelk
• 田螺(たにし) (tanishi): river snails of family Viviparidae
• 長螺(ながにし) (naganishi): tulip snails or spindle snails, marine snails of family Fasciolariidae
• 丸田螺(まるたにし) (marutanishi): Bellamya chinensis or Cipangopaludina chinensis, the Chinese mystery snail, black snail, or trapdoor snail

Etymology 6

Kanji in this term
螺
にな Jinmeiyō
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
蜷

Noun

螺(にな) • (nina) 

1. alternative spelling of 蜷 (nina, “synonym of 川蜷 (kawanina, “melanian snail, Semisulcospira libertina”)”)

References

• “^▲螺”, in 漢字ぺディア [Kanjipedia]‎^[2] (in Japanese), The Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation, 2015–2026

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 螺 (MC lwa). Recorded as Middle Korean 라 (la) (Yale: la) in Hunmong Jahoe (訓蒙字會 / 훈몽자회), 1527.

Hanja

螺 (eumhun 소라 라 (sora ra) or (word-initial) 나 (na))

1. hanja form^? of 라/나 (“aquatic snail”)

Compounds

• 나사 (螺絲, nasa, “screw”)
• 나선 (螺旋, naseon, “a helix, a spiral”)
• 나선 (螺線, naseon, “spiral”)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [3]

Vietnamese

Han character

螺: Hán Nôm readings: loa, loe

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