菟 (tú) - Rabbit — archaic or literary term for rabbit & used in classical compounds and plant names.

菟Tone 2

tú ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

菟 · tú

Rabbit — archaic or literary term for rabbit;

used in classical compounds and plant names.

Rabbit — archaic or literary term for rabbitused in classical compounds and plant names.

Usage highlights

Dodder seedMoon rabbitRabbit hairRabbit netFlying rabbit

Synonyms

  • 兔— rabbit (modern standard)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The legendary rabbit on the moon (月宫菟).
  • Dodder plant (菟丝子, Cuscuta chinensis).
  • In ancient texts, it refers to a rabbit (菟, archaic for 兔).

Collocations

  • Dodder seed(菟丝子)
  • Moon rabbit(月菟)
  • Rabbit hair(菟毫)
  • Rabbit net(菟罝)
  • Flying rabbit(飞菟)

Idioms

  • The cunning rabbit has three burrows(狡菟三窟)
  • Waiting for the rabbit to hit the tree stump(守株待菟)
  • The hare dies, the hounds are boiled(菟死狗烹)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 菟 is an archaic variant of 兔 (rabbit) found in classical literature and idioms.
  • In Chinese mythology, the rabbit (菟/兔) is associated with the Moon, pounding the elixir of immortality.
  • The character appears in plant names like 菟丝子 (dodder), a parasitic vine used in traditional medicine.

FAQ