蝜蝂

fùbǎn

noun

Meanings

1 fubian (a small beetle in Liu Zongyuan's allegory that piles things on its back until crushed)

Characters

fubian (first syllable); related to 负 'to bear'

fubian (second syllable)

Examples

HSK 7-9

柳宗元写《蝜蝂传》借这种小虫讽喻贪得无厌之人。

Liǔ Zōng yuán xiě 《 Fùbǎn Zhuàn 》 jiè zhèzhǒng xiǎo chóng fěng yù tāndéwúyàn zhī rén.

Liu Zongyuan wrote 'The Tale of Fubian' to use this little creature as an allegory for the insatiably greedy.

HSK 7-9

他像蝜蝂一样，背负的越来越重。

Tā xiàng fùbǎn yíyàng, bēifù de yuèláiyuè zhòng.

Like a fubian, the load on his back grows ever heavier.

Tips

history

From Tang dynasty writer Liu Zongyuan's 《蝜蝂传》 (Tale of the Fubian): a tiny beetle that picks up anything it meets and piles it on its back, refusing to drop the load even when climbing, until it is finally crushed. A classic satire on greed for office and wealth.

Stroke Order

蝜 fù

蝂 bǎn