蝃 (dì) - Rainbow — archaic term for rainbow, primarily used & also appears in the compound 蝃蝀 meaning rainbow.

蝃Tone 4

dì ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

橙丁

蝃 · dì

Rainbow — archaic term for rainbow, primarily used in classical Chinese literature;

also appears in the compound 蝃蝀 meaning rainbow.

Rainbow — archaic term for rainbow, primarily usedalso appears in the compound 蝃蝀 meaning rainbow.

Usage highlights

RainbowEastern rainbowRainbow bridgeRainbow colorsRainbow appearance

Synonyms

  • 虹— rainbow (modern standard term)
  • 霓— secondary rainbow
  • 彩虹— rainbow (colloquial)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • A rainbow appeared after the rain (雨后见蝃蝀).
  • The ancient text mentions a rainbow (古文中提到蝃).
  • 蝃蝀 is an ancient term for rainbow (蝃蝀是虹的古称).

Collocations

  • Rainbow(蝃蝀)
  • Eastern rainbow(朝蝃)
  • Rainbow bridge(蝃桥)
  • Rainbow colors(蝃色)
  • Rainbow appearance(蝃现)

Idioms

  • The rainbow spans the sky(蝃蝀垂天)
  • Morning rainbow in the east(朝蝀于东)
  • Rainbow drinking from streams(蝃饮于溪)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • 蝃 is an ancient character for rainbow, primarily found in classical texts like the Book of Songs.
  • In ancient Chinese belief, rainbows were sometimes considered celestial dragons or serpents drinking water.
  • The character appears in the compound 蝃蝀, which was the standard term for rainbow in classical Chinese.
  • Modern usage is extremely rare, preserved mainly in literary or historical contexts.

FAQ