虫 (chóng)

variant of 蟲|虫[chong2]

Etymology

Pictograph of a snake.

Shuowen Jiezi

《說文》:“虫,一名蝮,博三寸,首大如擘指。象其卧形。物之微細,或行,或毛,或蠃,或介,或鱗,以虫為象。”

Original meaning

viper