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The character 蠓, denoting small flying insects like midges, is structured with the insect radical 虫 on the left and the component 蒙 on the right, where 蒙 primarily functions as a phonetic element while potentially evoking the obscuring effect of insect swarms. Etymologically, the pronunciation of 蠓 has long been associated with 蒙, and the insect radical explicitly categorizes its meaning. Historically, the character has consistently referred to these tiny pests, with early textual uses already specifying this meaning, and its form has remained stable in its composition of these two components.
Etymology Hide
