蠛 (miè) - A tiny insect, especially a gnat or midge & used in classical Chinese to refer to very

蠛Tone 4

miè ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

妙慕

蠛 · miè

A tiny insect, especially a gnat or midge;

used in classical Chinese to refer to very small flying insects.

A tiny insect, especially a gnat or midgeused in classical Chinese to refer to very

Usage highlights

Tiny midgesSmall insectsGnat categoryFlying midgesMinute insects

Synonyms

  • 蠓— midge, gnat
  • 蚋— black fly, gnat
  • 蚊— mosquito

Antonyms

  • 鹏— roc (mythical giant bird)
  • 鲸— whale

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The ancient text mentioned tiny gnats (蠛蠓).
  • He studied microscopic insects like midges (蠛类).
  • The swamp was full of tiny flying insects (蠛虫).

Collocations

  • Tiny midges(蠛蠓)
  • Small insects(蠛虫)
  • Gnat category(蠛类)
  • Flying midges(飞蠛)
  • Minute insects(微蠛)

Idioms

  • Like a mayfly's brief life(蠛蠓之寿)
  • As insignificant as a gnat(蠛蠓之微)
  • Tiny and numerous as midges(蠛蠓成群)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Appears in classical Chinese texts describing minute flying insects, often in poetic contexts.
  • Used metaphorically to describe things that are extremely small or insignificant.
  • The character is rare in modern usage but preserved in classical literature and specialized entomological contexts.

FAQ