Definitions

yíng (noun) fly (insect)

Etymology

Insects  that toads  feed on

About

The character "蝇", representing the fly, derives from its traditional form "蠅", a pictophonetic configuration that integrates the insect radical "虫" with the phonetic element "黽", thereby situating it within the lexical category of insects while utilizing "黽" to approximate its sound. Over time, the character's graphical representation experienced gradual simplification, yet its core semantic association with the fly has remained stable, reflecting a consistent conceptual link. The structural logic of the traditional character underscores a deliberate fusion of meaning and sound, where the radical conveys the insect class and the phonetic component offers auditory guidance, a foundational approach that has maintained the character's essential identity through its historical progression.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

桌子上有只苍

Zhuōzi shàng yǒu zhī cāngying.

There is a fly on the table.

喜欢脏地方。

Cāngying xǐhuān zāng dìfāng.

Flies like dirty places.

我赶走了那只苍

Wǒ gǎnzǒule nà zhī cāngying.

I chased away that fly.

的翅膀很透明。

Cāngying de chìbǎng hěn tòumíng.

The fly's wings are very transparent.

夏天苍特别多。

Xiàtiān cāngying tèbié duō.

In summer, flies are especially numerous.

他用拍打死了苍

Tā yòng yíngpāi dǎsǐle cāngying.

He killed the fly with a fly swatter.

传播多种疾病。

Cāngying chuánbō duō zhǒng jíbìng.

Flies spread various diseases.

为了防止苍进入,我们安装了纱窗。

Wèile fángzhǐ cāngying jìnrù, wǒmen ānzhuāngle shāchuāng.

To prevent flies from entering, we installed a screen window.