damselfly; demoiselle
Refers to insects of the suborder Zygoptera, similar to dragonflies but with slimmer bodies and wings that fold back when at rest.
I found a damselfly by the pond.
Damselflies are thinner and smaller than dragonflies.
トンボ is the general term for dragonflies, which are stouter and hold their wings flat when resting, unlike damselflies.
Katakana spelling is common for this insect name; usually written in kana.
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; uncommon.
Kanji spelling using 蜻蛉 (dragonfly); rarely used in modern writing.
Ateji spelling; very rare and not recommended for learners.
The name likely derives from 糸 (いと, thread) + トンボ (dragonfly), referring to the insect's slender, thread-like body.