Definitions

(noun) ant
(noun) dragonfly
(noun) grasshopper

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "蚂" is derived from its traditional counterpart "螞", a phonetic-semantic compound in which the radical "虫" denotes the category of insects or crawling creatures, while the component "馬" serves as a phonetic indicator for its pronunciation. In the simplified form, "馬" is replaced by "马", streamlining the character but retaining the same structural logic of semantic classification and sound suggestion. This character has historically functioned exclusively within compound terms, such as "蚂蚁" for ant and "蚂蟥" for leech, with its meaning firmly anchored in these specific zoological references without developing independent semantic value over time.

Example Sentences Hide

地上有很多蚁。

Dì shàng yǒu hěn duō mǎyǐ.

There are many ants on the ground.

蚁在搬食物。

Mǎyǐ zài bān shíwù.

The ants are moving food.

小心别踩到蚁。

Xiǎoxīn bié cǎi dào mǎyǐ.

Be careful not to step on the ants.

草丛里有蚱在跳。

Cǎocóng lǐ yǒu màzha zài tiào.

There are grasshoppers jumping in the grass.

蟥生活在水中。

Mǎhuáng shēnghuó zài shuǐ zhōng.

Leeches live in water.

孩子们在观察蚁搬家。

Háizimen zài guānchá mǎyǐ bānjiā.

The children are observing the ants moving their nest.

下雨前,蚱总是跳得很高。

Xià yǔ qián, màzha zǒngshì tiào de hěn gāo.

Before it rains, grasshoppers always jump very high.

为了防止蟥叮咬,他穿了长裤。

Wèile fángzhǐ mǎhuáng dīngyǎo, tā chuān le chángkù.

To prevent leech bites, he wore long pants.