gecko, kind of cicada
蝘 refers to small creatures: a gecko or a kind of cicada. The meanings are linked by the idea of a small, often wall-clinging or tree-dwelling animal.
蝘 is a phono-semantic compound: the insect radical 虫 indicates a small creature, while 匽 likely contributes the sound. The exact historical development is uncertain.
The insect radical 虫 on the left suggests a bug-like animal. The right side 匽 looks like a hiding place: imagine a gecko or cicada tucked into a crevice.
For エン, picture a gecko crawling on the wall of an English garden: the 'en' in English cues エン, and the gecko is the small creature.
—