Definitions

liè Cyrtoxiphus ritsemae

Etymology

About

is a phono-semantic compound: the left radical (chóng) places it in the category of insects, bugs, and creeping terrestrial creatures, while the right component (liè) gives the exact pronunciation liè; the character denotes a noise-making insect, most notably the cricket, appearing in classical poetry and agricultural settings. Its structure exemplifies the traditional method for forming insect names in Chinese: a semantic radical combined with a phonetic element, allowing the script to precisely distinguish among various species of bugs and small creatures.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern