蝇 (yíng) — fly (insect; bound form, occurs only in compounds like 苍蝇, 蝇子)
Definition
蝇 (yíng) is a bound morpheme meaning 'fly' (the insect) — it never stands alone, only appearing in compounds like 苍蝇. By itself, 苍蝇 is the standard word for 'fly'.
bound form
fly (insect; bound form, occurs only in compounds like 苍蝇, 蝇子)
Examples
- 。Chú fáng lǐ yǒu yì zhī cāng yíng zài fēi.There is a fly flying in the kitchen.
- 蝇，。Xià tiān yíng zi hěn duō, yào guān hǎo mén chuāng.There are many flies in summer; you need to keep the doors and windows closed.
- ，。Cāng yíng chuán bō jí bìng, yào zhù yì wèi shēng.Flies spread diseases, so you must pay attention to hygiene.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 蠅; 蝇 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
黽
黽mǐn蠅yíng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
蝇 is the simplified form of 蠅, which pairs 虫 (insect) with 黽 as a sound part.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.