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

Meanings

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

Characters

蝜

fù

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

蝂

bǎn

fubian (second syllable)

Examples

柳宗元写《蝜蝂传》借这种小虫讽喻贪得无厌之人。

Liǔ Zōngyuán xiě «Fùbǎn Zhuàn» jiè zhè zhǒng xiǎo chóng fěngyù tāndéwúyàn zhī rén.

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

他像蝜蝂一样，背负的越来越重。

Tā xiàng fùbǎn yīyàng, 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.