About
The character 蝥 is structured with the insect radical 虫 paired with the phonetic component 敄, indicating its classification as an insect-related term. Etymologically, it has historically referred to the blister beetle, a poisonous insect documented in early Chinese pharmacological texts. While its primary meaning remains zoological, the character also appeared in classical compounds like 蝥贼, where it extended metaphorically to describe destructive pests or malign individuals, reflecting a slight semantic broadening in literary contexts.
Etymology Hide
