Definitions
Hemidactylus bowringii
Etymology
About
The character 蝘 (yǎn) exemplifies the classical Chinese method for naming animals by combining a categorical radical with a phonetic element. Its left side features the radical 虫 (chóng), which classifies it among insects, reptiles, or creeping creatures. The right side is the component 匽 (yǎn), which supplies the pronunciation; its original meaning of "hiding" may also subtly reflect the elusive nature of the animals it denotes. Historically, 蝘 has referred to two distinct creatures depending on context: a small type of cicada, and a gecko or house lizard. This dual usage illustrates how ancient taxonomy grouped various small, creeping animals under a single semantic category.
Etymology Hide
