蜉蝣

fúyóu

noun #28,812

Measure Word

一只蜉蝣 zhī

Meanings

1 mayfly
2 ephemerid

Characters

mayfly (insect radical 虫)

mayfly (insect radical 虫)

Examples

蜉蝣的寿命只有一天，象征着短暂的生命。

Fúyóu de shòumìng zhǐyǒu yī tiān, xiàngzhēng zhe duǎnzàn de shēngmìng.

The mayfly lives only one day, symbolizing the brevity of life.

苏轼曾用蜉蝣比喻人生的渺小。

Sū Shì céng yòng fúyóu bǐyù rénshēng de miǎoxiǎo.

Su Shi once used the mayfly as a metaphor for the smallness of human life.

Tips

culture

蜉蝣 is a classic literary symbol in Chinese poetry for the fleeting nature of life. Su Shi's 赤壁赋 famously compares humans to 蜉蝣寄于天地 — mayflies resting between heaven and earth.

Stroke Order

蜉 fú

蝣 yóu