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The character 蜍 (chú) is a phono-semantic compound. The left component, the radical 虫 (chóng), indicates its semantic category, historically covering insects, reptiles, and other small creatures. The right component, 余 (yú), serves as the phonetic element. 蜍 specifically refers to toads and is most commonly used in the binomial compound 蟾蜍 (chánchú), meaning "toad". In Chinese folklore and mythology, the toad is closely linked to the moon through the legend of Chang'e, who was transformed into a toad after fleeing to the lunar surface upon consuming an elixir of immortality.
Etymology Hide
