螞 (mǎ) - Ant — a small social insect that lives & also used to refer to ants in general.

螞Tone 3

mǎ ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

伦妙

螞 · mǎ

Ant — a small social insect that lives in organized colonies;

also used to refer to ants in general.

Ant — a small social insect that livesalso used to refer to ants in general.

Usage highlights

AntAnt colonyAnt nestWorker antAnt larvaAnt trail

Synonyms

  • 蚁— Ant (the simpler, more classical form)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • There is an ant on the ground (蚂蚁在地上).
  • Ants can carry objects many times their own weight (蚂蚁能搬动比自身重很多倍的东西).
  • The ant colony works together (蚁群协作).
  • He was as small as an ant from that height (从那个高度看，他小得像只蚂蚁).

Collocations

  • Ant(蚂蚁)
  • Ant colony(蚁群)
  • Ant nest(蚁巢)
  • Worker ant(工蚁)
  • Ant larva(蚁幼虫)
  • Ant trail(蚁路)

Idioms

  • Like an ant on a hot pan(热锅上的蚂蚁)
  • Ants climbing on a rotten bone(蚁附腐骨)
  • Ants moving house(蚂蚁搬家)
  • Ants can topple a dike(千里之堤，溃于蚁穴)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Ants are often used in Chinese culture as symbols of diligence, collective effort, and perseverance.
  • The idiom '千里之堤，溃于蚁穴' (A thousand-mile dike can collapse because of an ant hole) warns that small negligence can lead to major disasters.
  • In some folk beliefs, seeing ants moving in large numbers might be interpreted as a sign of coming rain.

FAQ