About
The character '螂' is a phono-semantic compound consisting of the insect radical '虫' on the left, which semantically categorizes it within the domain of creeping creatures, and the component '郎' on the right, which primarily provides the phonetic value 'láng'. Etymologically, '螂' does not possess an independent meaning but has historically functioned as a bound morpheme within specific disyllabic terms for insects, such as '螳螂' (mantis) and '蟑螂' (cockroach), where it completes the word without contributing separate semantics. The adoption of '郎', a character originally associated with youths or officials, as a phonetic marker in these zoological names illustrates a linguistic process of forming new characters for specialized vocabulary. Its structural composition and confined application have remained consistent over time, with no broadening or narrowing of its meaning beyond these established compound forms.
Example Sentences Hide
厨房里有一只蟑螂。
螳螂在树叶上爬行。
我害怕黑色的蟑螂。
螳螂捕捉昆虫为食。
蟑螂是一种常见的害虫。
螳螂的前肢像两把大刀。
我们在花园里发现了一只螳螂。
为了防止蟑螂滋生，要保持厨房清洁。