萤 (yíng) - Firefly — a small flying insect that produces & also refers to things that glow faintly.

萤Tone 2

yíng ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

樱咏

萤 · yíng

Firefly — a small flying insect that produces light through bioluminescence;

also refers to things that glow faintly.

Firefly — a small flying insect that producesalso refers to things that glow faintly.

Usage highlights

FireflyFirefly lightGlowwormFirefly gatheringCatching firefliesFirefly study

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 灯— lamp (artificial vs natural light)
  • 暗— dark (light vs darkness)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Fireflies glow in the dark (萤火虫在黑暗中发光).
  • The firefly's light is called cold light (萤光).
  • She caught fireflies in a jar (捉萤火虫).
  • The ancient story of studying by firefly light (囊萤映雪).

Collocations

  • Firefly(萤火虫)
  • Firefly light(萤光)
  • Glowworm(萤囊)
  • Firefly gathering(流萤)
  • Catching fireflies(捉萤)
  • Firefly study(萤窗)

Idioms

  • Studying by firefly and snow light(囊萤映雪)
  • Firefly snow endeavor(萤窗雪案)
  • Gathering fireflies for light(集萤映雪)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, fireflies symbolize diligence and perseverance, especially in the famous story of Che Yin who studied by firefly light when he couldn't afford lamp oil.
  • Fireflies are often associated with summer nights, romance, and fleeting beauty in poetry and literature.
  • The character contains the grass radical 艹, indicating its connection to insects found in grassy areas.

FAQ