螟蛉
Chinese
Heliothus armigera | |||
---|---|---|---|
trad. (螟蛉) | 螟 | 蛉 | |
simp. #(螟蛉) | 螟 | 蛉 |
Etymology
Reduplicated from *mliŋ according to Li Fang-Kuei apud Schuessler (2007).
While Pittayaporn (2009) proposes that Proto-Tai *m.leːŋᴬ (“insect”) is loaned from either early or late Middle Chinese, Schuessler (2007) proposes the reverse loan-direction: i.e. from Tai into Chinese (see also Li (1976)).
Pronunciation
Noun
螟蛉
- green rice caterpillar (Naranga aenescens); (in general) caterpillar of many Lepidoptera species, such as the corn earworm or the small white butterfly (which destroy rice and other plants)
- 螟蛉有子,蜾蠃負之。教誨爾子,式穀似之。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
- Mínglíng yǒu zǐ, guǒluǒ fù zhī. Jiàohuì ěr zǐ, shìgǔ sì zhī. [Pinyin]
- The mulberry insect has young ones,
And the sphex carries them away.
Teach and train your sons,
And they will become good as you are.
螟蛉有子,蜾蠃负之。教诲尔子,式谷似之。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]- 螟蛉之子殪,而逢蜾蠃。祝之曰:「類我,類我。」久則肖之矣!速哉,七十子之肖仲尼也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
- From: Yang Xiong, Fa Yan (Exemplary Sayings), 9 CE
- Mínglíng zhī zǐ yì, ér féng guǒluǒ. Zhù zhī yuē: “Lèi wǒ, lèi wǒ.” Jiǔ zé xiào zhī yǐ! Sù zāi, qīshí zǐ zhī xiào Zhòngní yě. [Pinyin]
- The dying moth larva encountered the wasp. The wasp snatched it away saying, “Be like me, be like me.”
After a while, they were alike. How quickly it is, that the seventy disciples became like Confucius!
螟蛉之子殪,而逢蜾蠃。祝之曰:“类我,类我。”久则肖之矣!速哉,七十子之肖仲尼也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
- (literary, figuratively) Short for 螟蛉子 (mínglíngzǐ, “adopted son”).
Derived terms
|
|
Descendants
Sino-Xenic (螟蛉):
- → Japanese: 螟蛉 (meirei)
- → Korean: 명령(螟蛉) (myeongnyeong)
Others:
- →? Proto-Tai: *m.leːŋᴬ (“insect”)
Japanese
Kanji in this term | |
---|---|
螟 | 蛉 |
めい Hyōgaiji | れい Hyōgaiji |
kan’on |
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 螟蛉 (MC meŋ leŋ).
Pronunciation
- On’yomi: Kan’on
- (Tokyo) めーれー [mèéréé] (Heiban – [0])[1]
- IPA(key): [me̞ːɾe̞ː]
Noun
螟蛉 • (meirei)
- Synonym of 青虫 (aomushi): any butterfly or moth larvae that are colored green
- (figuratively) Synonym of 養子 (yōshi): an adopted child
References
- 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN