蜹 (ruì) - A small biting fly & gnat

蜹Tone 4

ruì ｜ 13 strokes ｜ radical:

儒三

蜹 · ruì

A small biting fly;

gnat;

midge;

also refers to mosquitoes in some contexts.

A small biting flygnatmidge

Usage highlights

Biting midgeMosquito and gnatTiny flyGnat swarmAvoiding gnats

Synonyms

  • 蚊— mosquito
  • 蠓— midge; biting midge
  • 蚋— black fly; buffalo gnat

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The swamp was full of gnats (蜹).
  • We need mosquito repellent to avoid bites from these insects (蜹).
  • Ancient texts mention these biting flies (蜹) as pests.

Collocations

  • Biting midge(蜹虫)
  • Mosquito and gnat(蚊蜹)
  • Tiny fly(小蜹)
  • Gnat swarm(蜹群)
  • Avoiding gnats(避蜹)

Idioms

  • Like a gnat trying to shake a tree(蜹蜉撼树)
  • The mosquito and the gnat(蚊蜹负山)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Mentioned in classical Chinese texts as one of the small biting insects that plague humans and animals.
  • Often used metaphorically to represent insignificant but annoying forces or opponents.
  • Appears in agricultural contexts as pests affecting livestock and crops.

FAQ