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Kotomora

蝣

mayfly

Strokes15

Readings

On'yomi

  • ユウ

Kun'yomi

—

Meaning

蝣 refers specifically to the mayfly, a short-lived insect.

Most common words using 蝣

  • 蜉蝣かげろう

    mayfly

  • 蜉蝣ふゆう

    mayfly

  • 網目蜉蝣あみめかげろう

    neuropteran (any insect of order Neuroptera)

  • 草蜉蝣くさかげろう

    green lacewing (esp. species Chrysopa intima)

Explore all words using 蝣 →

Study

Etymology

蝣 combines 虫 (insect) with 斿, which likely contributes the sound ユウ. The character was created to name the mayfly.

Meaning mnemonic

The insect radical 虫 beside 斿, which looks like a child 子 holding a flag 方, suggests a delicate, short-lived insect fluttering like a flag in the breeze: the mayfly.

Reading mnemonic

For ユウ, imagine a mayfly drifting on the wind saying 'you' to the world: you -> ユウ, and the mayfly's brief life is a greeting to the day.