蚤 (zǎo) - Flea — a small, wingless, bloodsucking insect & also used in classical Chinese for 'early' (同早).

蚤Tone 3

zǎo ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical:

悦丈

蚤 · zǎo

Flea — a small, wingless, bloodsucking insect;

also used in classical Chinese for 'early' (同早).

Flea — a small, wingless, bloodsucking insectalso used in classical Chinese for 'early' (同早).

Usage highlights

FleaFlea marketCat fleaDog fleaFlea biteFlea powder

Synonyms

  • 跳蚤— flea (full term)
  • 早— early (classical loan equivalent)

Antonyms

  • 晚— late (antonym to the 'early' sense)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The cat has fleas (跳蚤).
  • In classical texts, it can mean early (蚤起 means 'rise early').
  • Flea market (跳蚤市场).
  • Flea collar for pets (防蚤项圈).

Collocations

  • Flea(跳蚤)
  • Flea market(跳蚤市场)
  • Cat flea(猫蚤)
  • Dog flea(狗蚤)
  • Flea bite(蚤咬)
  • Flea powder(除蚤粉)

Idioms

  • Rise early and sleep late(蚤起夜寐)
  • To die an untimely death(蚤殁)
  • To anticipate or do something early(蚤为之所)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In classical Chinese, 蚤 was a common loan character for 早 (early), appearing in texts like the Confucian classics.
  • The character depicts an insect (虫) with claws (叉), representing the flea's jumping and biting behavior.
  • Fleas are associated with nuisance, poverty, and disease in Chinese cultural context.

FAQ