“silkworm” in Japanese is 蚕, read san, kaiko (さん, かいこ). It is a Grade 6 Kyōiku kanji, taught in year 6 of Japanese elementary school, and appears in words such as 養蚕 (silkworm raising).
What does 蚕 mean?
蚕は糸をつくる。
| Kanji | 蚕 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | silkworm |
| Readings | さん, かいこ |
| Grade | Grade 6 (Hardest) |
| Curriculum | Kyōiku kanji · Japanese elementary school |
| Example | 養蚕 (silkworm raising) |
蚕 is read san (さん) or kaiko (かいこ) depending on the word.
Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side: