蠅 (yíng) - Fly — refers to various species of flies, & often associated with filth, annoyance, and persistence.

蠅Tone 2

yíng ｜ 19 strokes ｜ radical:

樱咏

蠅 · yíng

Fly — refers to various species of flies, particularly houseflies;

often associated with filth, annoyance, and persistence.

Fly — refers to various species of flies,often associated with filth, annoyance, and persistence.

Usage highlights

HouseflyFruit flyFly swatterFly trapFly repellentFly larvae

Synonyms

  • 苍蝇— Housefly (common term)

Antonyms

  • 蜂— Bee (often seen as industrious and productive)
  • 蝶— Butterfly (often seen as beautiful and graceful)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • There is a fly buzzing in the kitchen (厨房里有一只苍蝇).
  • He set up a fly trap (他设置了一个捕蝇器).
  • Flies can spread diseases (苍蝇会传播疾病).
  • The fly landed on the food (苍蝇落在了食物上).

Collocations

  • Housefly(苍蝇)
  • Fruit fly(果蝇)
  • Fly swatter(苍蝇拍)
  • Fly trap(捕蝇器)
  • Fly repellent(驱蝇剂)
  • Fly larvae(蝇蛆)

Idioms

  • Like a fly hitting a wall — futile effort(蝇碰壁)
  • Like a fly swarming around — many annoying followers(如蝇逐臭)
  • A fly's head with leopard's spots — small-minded but ambitious(蝇头豹斑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Flies are universally seen as pests and symbols of filth and disease in Chinese culture.
  • Their persistence and tendency to swarm make them metaphors for annoying, hard-to-dismiss people or problems.
  • The character is complex and not commonly used in personal names due to its negative connotations.

FAQ