蛄

mole cricket, cicada

Strokes11

Readings

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蛄 centers on a specific insect: the mole cricket. The cicada meaning is a less common extension, but both refer to burrowing or loud insects.

螻蛄けら
mole cricket (esp. the Oriental mole cricket, Gryllotalpa orientalis)
蝦蛄しゃこ
mantis shrimp (any marine crustacean of order Stomatopoda, esp. the species Oratosquilla oratoria); mantis crab; squilla
アメリカ蝲蛄アメリカざりがに
red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
川螻蛄かわげら
stonefly (any insect of order Plecoptera, esp. those of family Perlidae)
穴蝦蛄あなじゃこ
Japanese mud shrimp (Upogebia major)
螻蛄才けらざい
being a jack of all trades and master of none
螻蛄芸けらげい
being a jack of all trades and master of none
飛螻蛄とびけら
caddisfly; caddis fly (any moth-like insect of the order Trichoptera)

蛄 combines the insect radical 虫 with 古, which likely provides the sound コ. The character was created to name a specific insect, the mole cricket.

The insect radical 虫 beside 古 suggests an old, ancient bug: picture a mole cricket that has been burrowing underground since ancient times.

For コ, imagine a mole cricket making a low 'co' sound as it digs: co -> コ, the call of this ancient insect.