About
The character 螭 is composed of the insect or creature radical 虫 combined with the phonetic component 离, which in its traditional form is written as 離. Its etymology identifies it as a type of mythological creature, specifically a hornless dragon or serpent, a meaning consistently documented in early classical texts. Over time, the term’s application broadened beyond the aquatic dragon to include mountain demons or spirits, and it became a conventional name for the dragon motifs used in decorative arts and architecture. While the character’s graphic structure has remained stable, its semantic range expanded from a specific beast to a more general category of mythical beings and artistic representations.
Etymology Hide
