螳螂 (tángláng): mantis

Measure Word

一只螳螂 zhī

Both characters together form the word for praying mantis; neither is commonly used alone.

一只螳螂正在草丛里捕食。

Yī zhī tángláng zhèngzài cǎocóng lǐ bǔshí.

A praying mantis is hunting in the grass.

螳螂是一种益虫。

Tángláng shì yī zhǒng yìchóng.

The mantis is a beneficial insect.

culture

The idiom 螳臂当车 ('a mantis trying to stop a chariot') describes someone overestimating their ability to stop a far greater force.

螳 táng

螂 láng