About
The character 蝶 is a phono-semantic compound combining the semantic radical 虫 (chóng, insect) with the phonetic component 枼 (yè, leaf or thin wood slice). This pairing suggests an insect resembling a fluttering leaf, aptly describing a butterfly. Historically, its meaning has been specifically confined to butterflies, often seen in the compound word 蝴蝶 (húdié). The insect radical places it within a traditional biological category, while the phonetic element guides pronunciation and subtly evokes the flat, leaf-like shape of a butterfly's wings in flight.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
我看到一只蝴蝶。
蝴蝶在花上飞。
美丽的蝴蝶喜欢花朵。
那只黄色的蝴蝶很漂亮。
蝴蝶从蛹里蜕变出来。
在春天，许多蝴蝶在花园里飞舞。
他擅长蝶泳和自由泳。
科学家研究蝴蝶的迁徙模式。