知了

zhīliǎo

noun #35,022

Measure Word

一只知了 zhī

Meanings

1 cicada

Characters

Examples

夏天树上的知了叫个不停。

Xiàtiān shù shàng de zhīliǎo jiào ge bùtíng.

The cicadas on the trees in summer cry nonstop.

小孩子喜欢抓知了。

Xiǎo háizi xǐhuān zhuā zhīliǎo.

Kids love catching cicadas.

Tips

memory

The name 知了 mimics the cicada's call: "zhī-liǎo, zhī-liǎo." It's an onomatopoeia — literally "know-already," as if the bug is claiming it understands everything.

Stroke Order

知 zhī

了 le