蜂
bee, wasp, hornet
Readings
On'yomi
- ホウ
Kun'yomi
- はち
Nanori
- ほ
Meaning
蜂 centers on stinging flying insects: bees, wasps, and hornets. The character groups them under one insect-related idea.
Most common words using 蜂
20 of 82- 蜂はちN1
bee; wasp; hornet
- 蜂蜜はちみつN1
honey
- 蜜蜂みつばち
honeybee (Apis sp.); honey bee
- 蜂起ほうき
uprising; revolt
- 蜂の巣はちのす
beehive; hive; honeycomb
- 養蜂ようほう
beekeeping; apiculture
- 女王蜂じょおうばち
queen bee; queen wasp
- 蜂鳥はちどり
hummingbird (Trochilidae family)
- 働き蜂はたらきばち
worker bee
- たま蜂たまばち
gall wasp (any insect of family Cynipidae)
- アンナ蜂鳥アンナはちどり
Anna's woodpecker (Calypte anna)
- 丸花蜂まるはなばち
bumblebee (Bombus sp.); bumble bee
- 五倍子蜂ふしばち
gall wasp (any insect of family Cynipidae)
- 口底蜂窩織炎こうていほうかしきえん
phlegmon in floor of oral cavity; Ludwig's angina
- 喉赤蜂鳥のどあかはちどり
ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
- 土蜂つちばち
scoliid wasp (any wasp of family Scoliidae)
- 土蜂ゆするばち
digger wasp
- 地蜂じばち
Vespula flaviceps (species of yellowjacket)
- 姫花蜂ひめはなばち
mining bee (of family Andrenidae)
- 姫蜂ひめばち
ichneumon wasp (Ichneumonidae spp.); ichneumon fly
Study
Etymology
蜂 combines the insect radical 虫 with 夆, which likely contributes the sound ホウ. The character originally referred to bees and similar stinging insects.
Meaning mnemonic
The insect radical 虫 on the left tells you it's a bug, and the right side 夆 looks like a busy hive with a pointed stinger. Picture a bee flying out of that hive.
Reading mnemonic
For ホウ, imagine a bee buzzing with a deep 'hoo' sound as it flies: hoo -> ホウ, and the bee's hum fills the air.