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蜉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蜉fúwasp; mayfly; large antn, 13 strokes, radical 虫
蜉fú(dragon fly)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 虫
蜉fú(large ant)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 虫
蜉fú(wasp)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 虫
fú(fu2) T2
  1. 1wasp; mayfly; large ant
  2. 2(dragon fly)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

蜉fú(fu2)

The character 蜉 (fú) refers to a type of insect, commonly known as a wasp or mayfly. It can also denote other large insects such as dragonflies or large ants, and is often used in literary contexts to evoke nature or fleeting moments, given the short lifespan of these creatures.

Strokes13Radical虫
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, insects like the mayfly symbolize the ephemeral nature of life, often referenced in poetry and art. The fleeting existence of these insects can be a metaphor for youth and beauty.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'fly' buzzing around a 'fu' (fú) that sounds like 'flee'. The character 蜉 has a radical for 'insect' (虫) on the bottom, reminding you it's related to insects. Picture a wasp that flits about quickly, embodying the transient nature of life.

Meanings of 蜉

fú(fu2)
1wasp; mayfly; large ant
2(dragon fly)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蜉

蜉Simplified
13Strokes
虫Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蜉

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Podcast: 蜉

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AI Study Notes for 蜉

Usage Notes

While 蜉 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in literary texts or discussions about nature. Learners should be cautious of confusing it with similar-sounding characters; context is crucial to understand its specific meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蜉 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, its components can help students recognize insect-related terms. Focus on the insect radical (虫) and related vocabulary to strengthen your understanding of this category.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蜉 with similar insect characters like 蚊 (wén, meaning mosquito). It's important to remember that 蜉 specifically refers to larger insects like wasps or mayflies.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蜉

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Etymology of 蜉

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

insect

Semantic (meaning)虫
+
Phonetic (sound)孚
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蜉

  1. 1The meaning half虫 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half孚 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayinsect
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 蜉? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 蜉?

Decomposition of 蜉

IDS Structure⿰虫孚
蜉Full Character
=
虫chong2
left
孚fu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蜉?

How to say wasp; mayfly; large ant in Chinese

“wasp; mayfly; large ant” in Chinese is蜉fú

The character 蜉 (fú) refers to a type of insect, commonly known as a wasp or mayfly. It can also denote other large insects such as dragonflies or large ants, and is often used in literary contexts to evoke nature or fleeting moments, given the short lifespan of these creatures.

When to use 蜉

While 蜉 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in literary texts or discussions about nature. Learners should be cautious of confusing it with similar-sounding characters; context is crucial to understand its specific meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蜉 with similar insect characters like 蚊 (wén, meaning mosquito). It's important to remember that 蜉 specifically refers to larger insects like wasps or mayflies.

Write 蜉

蜉

Practice writing 蜉 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 蜉

Words Containing This Character5
蜉蝣mayfly
蚍蜉撼树lit. an ant trying to shake a tree蚍蜉撼樹
蚍蜉撼大树fig. to overrate one's own strength蚍蜉撼大樹
蚍蜉a type of large ant
蜉fú(wasp)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 蜉蝣 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蜉

蜉 (fú) translates to wasp or mayfly, and can also refer to other large insects.

Jason Recommends

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