眼虫

眼蟲
yǎnchóng
noun

Meanings

  1. 1 Euglena (single-celled flagellate)
  2. 2 eye worm (parasitic nematode of genus Loa or Thelazia)

Examples

Yǎnchóng jì néng xiàng dòngwù nàyàng yùndòng, yòu néng xiàng zhíwù nàyàng guānghé zuòyòng.
Euglena can move like an animal and photosynthesize like a plant.
Fēizhōu yǎnchóngbìng shì yóu Luóā sīchóng yǐnqǐ de.
African eye worm disease is caused by Loa loa.

Tips

usage
Two very different meanings: (1) in biology classes, 眼虫 = Euglena, a protist famous for blurring the plant/animal line; (2) in parasitology, 眼虫 = the eye worm (Loa loa, Thelazia) that physically lives under the conjunctiva. Context decides.
memory
Euglena has an (eyespot / stigma) — a red photoreceptor that steers it toward light. That little 'eye' gave the organism its Chinese name.

Stroke Order

yǎn
chóng