gū
蛄
used in 'cicada' and 'mole cricket'
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesbound morpheme
used in the names of certain insects: 蟪蛄 (a kind of cicada) and 蝼蛄 (mole cricket)
This character is not used independently; it appears only as a bound morpheme in specific compound words denoting insects. 蟪蛄 appears in the famous Zhuangzi phrase "蟪蛄不知春秋" (the cicada does not know of spring and autumn), referring to a short lifespan.
Huì蟪
gū蛄
shì是
yī一
zhǒng种
chán蝉
，
xià夏
tiān天
cháng常
tíng停
zài在
shù树
shàng上
míng鸣
jiào叫
。
The huìgū is a type of cicada that often sings while perched in trees during summer.
Lóu蝼
gū蛄
shì是
nóng农
yè业
hài害
chóng虫
，
huì会
yǎo咬
shí食
nóng农
zuò作
wù物
de的
gēn根
bù部
。
The mole cricket is an agricultural pest that bites and feeds on the roots of crops.
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Gǔ古
rén人
yún云
：
Huì蟪
gū蛄
bù不
zhī知
chūn春
qiū秋
，
yán言
qí其
shēng生
mìng命
duǎn短
zàn暂
。
The ancients said, 'The cicada knows nothing of spring and autumn,' speaking of its short lifespan.