一切經音義 33.353

33.353

蛇蚖（上射遮反考聲云毒虫也說文虵亦它也它音他古人呼虵為它所以巢居者畏虵故相問云夜來無它乎即虵也從虫也聲下玩丸反玄中記云蚖虵身長三四尺有四足形如守宮尋眷有針利如刀甚毒惡中人不逾半日則死說文從虫元聲）。

蛇蚖, [snakes and vipers] (the upper character is shè + zhē fanqie. The Kaosheng says: "A venomous insect/reptile." The Shuowen jiezi says: "Shé (虵) is also [written] tā (它); tā is tā. The ancients called snakes tā; because cave and tree-dwellers feared snakes, they greeted each other asking, 'Has there been no snake (tā) tonight?' which refers to the snake. It is classified under the insect radical (虫), with yě (也) phonetic." The lower character is wán + wán fanqie. The Xuanzhong ji says: "The yuán snake is three to four feet long, has four feet, and is shaped like a gecko; on its tail it has a sting as sharp as a knife, and is extremely venomous and foul; if it strikes a person, they will die in less than half a day." The Shuowen jiezi says: "It is classified under the insect radical (虫), with yuán (元) phonetic").