• 虫むし — insect; bug
• 虫歯むしば — cavity (tooth decay)
• 昆虫こんちゅう — insect (scientific term)
• 害虫がいちゅう — harmful insect
• 弱虫よわむし — coward
• 虫眼鏡むしめがね — magnifying glass
• 寄生虫きせいちゅう — parasite

The kanji “虫” originally comes from a pictograph representing a small living creature. In modern Japanese, it refers not only to insects, but also to feelings, moods, and personality traits. Expressions like 弱虫 describe a person’s character, while phrases such as 虫の居所 or 腹の中の虫 are used to talk about emotions or inner feelings.