蝣 (yóu) - Mayfly — a short-lived insect of the order & often used metaphorically to represent ephemeral or transient

蝣Tone 2

yóu ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

咏与

蝣 · yóu

Mayfly — a short-lived insect of the order Ephemeroptera;

often used metaphorically to represent ephemeral or transient existence.

Mayfly — a short-lived insect of the orderoften used metaphorically to represent ephemeral or transient

Usage highlights

EphemeraMayfly's wingsFleeting as a mayflyMayfly's lifeEphemeral existenceAncient mayfly

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 龟— turtle (symbol of longevity)
  • 寿— longevity

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The mayfly (蜉蝣) lives for only a day.
  • His happiness was as fleeting as a mayfly's life (蜉蝣般的短暂).
  • Ancient poets often used the mayfly (蜉蝣) to symbolize life's brevity.
  • We observed mayflies (蜉蝣) emerging from the river at dusk.

Collocations

  • Ephemera(蜉蝣)
  • Mayfly's wings(蜉蝣之羽)
  • Fleeting as a mayfly(如蜉蝣般短暂)
  • Mayfly's life(蜉蝣的一生)
  • Ephemeral existence(蜉蝣般的生存)
  • Ancient mayfly(古蜉蝣)

Idioms

  • The mayfly shakes the great tree(蜉蝣撼大树)
  • Life of a mayfly, death at dusk(蜉蝣生暮死)
  • Floating like a mayfly, uncertain of tomorrow(浮若蜉蝣，未卜明日)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese literature and philosophy, the mayfly symbolizes the brevity and fragility of human life.
  • The character appears in classical texts like the Book of Songs as a metaphor for transient existence.
  • Daoist and Buddhist texts use the mayfly to illustrate the concept of impermanence.

FAQ