螻 (lóu) - Mole cricket — an insect of the family & also used metaphorically for common people or insignificant

螻Tone 2

lóu ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

林伦

螻 · lóu

Mole cricket — an insect of the family Gryllotalpidae that lives underground and is considered an agricultural pest;

also used metaphorically for common people or insignificant things.

Mole cricket — an insect of the familyalso used metaphorically for common people or insignificant

Usage highlights

Mole cricketMole crickets and antsMole cricket pestMole cricket moundMole cricket holeMole cricket sound

Synonyms

  • 蝼蛄— mole cricket (same character variant)
  • 土狗— earth dog (colloquial name for mole cricket)

Antonyms

  • 龙— dragon (majestic creature vs. insignificant insect)
  • 凤— phoenix (noble bird vs. lowly insect)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Mole crickets damage plant roots (螻蛄 damage crops).
  • Farmers use pesticides against mole crickets (防治螻蛄).
  • In ancient texts, common people were called 'mole crickets and ants' (螻蚁百姓).
  • The mole cricket is an underground insect (地下昆虫螻蛄).

Collocations

  • Mole cricket(螻蛄)
  • Mole crickets and ants(螻蚁)
  • Mole cricket pest(螻害)
  • Mole cricket mound(螻丘)
  • Mole cricket hole(螻穴)
  • Mole cricket sound(螻鸣)

Idioms

  • Mole crickets and ants (螻蚁) — metaphor for common people or insignificant beings
  • Mole crickets and mayflies (螝�螬) — refers to short-lived insects
  • Mole crickets seeking life (螝�螬求生) — struggling to survive

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In Chinese culture, mole crickets symbolize the common people or insignificant beings, often appearing in classical literature.
  • Mole crickets are mentioned in agricultural texts as pests that damage crops.
  • The character appears in classical texts like Zhuangzi and historical records.

FAQ