蝇 (yíng) - Fly — refers to the common housefly or & metaphorically used to describe something annoying or insignificant.

蝇Tone 2

yíng ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

樱咏

蝇 · yíng

Fly — refers to the common housefly or similar insects;

metaphorically used to describe something annoying or insignificant.

Fly — refers to the common housefly ormetaphorically used to describe something annoying or insignificant.

Usage highlights

HouseflyFruit flyFly swatterFly trapFly larvaeFly infestation

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 蜜蜂— honey bee (productive vs. pest)
  • 蝴蝶— butterfly (beautiful vs. annoying)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • A fly landed on the food (苍蝇落在食物上).
  • The room was full of flies (房间里满是苍蝇).
  • He swatted a fly with a newspaper (他用报纸拍苍蝇).
  • Fruit flies are attracted to ripe bananas (果蝇被熟香蕉吸引).

Collocations

  • Housefly(苍蝇)
  • Fruit fly(果蝇)
  • Fly swatter(苍蝇拍)
  • Fly trap(捕蝇器)
  • Fly larvae(蝇蛆)
  • Fly infestation(蝇害)

Idioms

  • Like a fly attacking a rut — overestimating one's ability(蝇营狗苟)
  • Like a fly dashing headlong into a spider's web — rushing to one's doom(飞蝇投火)
  • A fly's head with tiny profits — petty gains(蝇头小利)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Flies are traditionally seen as pests and symbols of filth, annoyance, or insignificance in Chinese culture.
  • In idioms, flies often represent petty people, trivial matters, or misguided efforts.
  • The character appears in classical texts and proverbs warning against greed or shortsightedness.

FAQ