Definitions
Eristalis tenax
Etymology
About
The character 螚 combines the insect radical 虫 with the phonetic component 能, and classical texts use it for two distinct small creatures: a small biting fly (gadfly or horsefly) and a type of turtle or soft-shelled aquatic reptile. The radical broadly categorizes it among bugs and creeping animals, while 能 supplies the pronunciation and, historically, helped specify the exact organism, illustrating how the insect radical extended beyond true insects to a variety of creatures.
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