螂

mantis

Strokes16

Readings

On'yomi

ロウ

Kun'yomi

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Meaning

螂 refers specifically to a mantis, an insect known for its folded, prayer-like front legs.

Most common words using 螂

蟷螂かまきり
praying mantis (esp. the narrow-winged mantis, Tenodera angustipennis)
擬螳螂かまきりもどき
mantidfly (any insect of the family Mantispidae)
朝鮮蟷螂ちょうせんかまきり
narrow-winged mantis
腹広蟷螂はらびろかまきり
Indo-Pacific mantis (Hierodula patellifera)
螳螂拳とうろうけん
praying mantis style
蟷螂の斧とうろうのおの
courageous but doomed resistance

Explore all words using 螂 →

Study

Etymology

螂 is a phono-semantic compound: the insect radical 虫 indicates the meaning 'insect', while 郎 (ロウ) provides the sound. The character was created specifically for the mantis.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 虫 shows it's an insect, and the right side 郎 looks like a nobleman with a tall hat. Picture a mantis standing upright like a praying nobleman.

Reading mnemonic

For ロウ, imagine a mantis rowing a tiny boat with its folded arms: row -> ロウ, and the mantis rows like a nobleman.