蟾蜍 (chán chú) — toad; (in Chinese mythology) the toad in the mo…

Definition

Literary/formal word for 'toad.' In classical poetry, 蟾蜍 is also a poetic name for the moon (from the myth of a toad living on it).

noun

toad(in Chinese mythology) the toad in the moonthe moon (poetic)

Measure word · 只

蟾蜍。
Zhè zhī chán chú de pí fū hěn cū cāo.
This toad's skin is very rough.
蟾蜍。
Chuán shuō zhōng yuè liang shàng yǒu yì zhī chán chú.
Legend says there is a toad on the moon.
蟾蜍。
Gǔ shī zhōng cháng yòng chán chú lái zhǐ dài yuè liang.
In classical poetry, 蟾蜍 is often used to refer to the moon.

Single-morpheme word

构词法gòucífǎ

联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

蟾chán

蜍chú

The characters 蟾 and 蜍 carry no separate meaning here; 蟾蜍 names a toad.

Sound-only characters

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

虫余蜍

Meaning part形符xíngfú

虫虫chónginsect; creature

Sound part声符shēngfú

余

The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

蜍 combines 虫, showing it is an insect or creature, with 余, which gives the sound.

Appears in