About
The character 蠃 (luǒ) combines the semantic radical 虫 (chóng), meaning insect, at the bottom with a phonetic component above, which it shares with characters like 赢. This component determines the pronunciation. Etymologically, the term primarily refers to a solitary wasp, such as the potter wasp, known for its mud nests and for capturing caterpillars. In some historical texts, 蠃 has also been used interchangeably with a nearly identical character to mean naked or bare, though its main definition as a specific predatory insect remains the primary usage.
Etymology Hide
