ant; social insect living in organized colonies
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 4 examplesnoun
ant; a small social insect of the family Formicidae, living in organized colonies
Often appears in collective nouns (一群蚂蚁) or idioms describing industriousness or anxiety. The word is neutral in register.
Dì地
shàng上
yǒu有
yī一
qún群
mǎ蚂
yǐ蚁
zhèng正
zài在
bān搬
jiā家
。
There is a colony of ants moving house on the ground.
Zhè这
dào道
cài菜
jiào叫
mǎ蚂
yǐ蚁
shàng上
shù树
，
qí其
shí实
shì是
ròu肉
mò末
chǎo炒
fěn粉
sī丝
。
This dish is called 'Ants Climbing a Tree'; it is actually minced pork stir-fried with vermicelli.
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Xiǎo小
mǎ蚂
yǐ蚁
zhēn真
qín勤
láo劳
，
yī一
tiān天
dào到
wǎn晚
máng忙
de个
bù不
tíng停
。
Little ants are truly hardworking, busy from morning till night without stop.
Tā他
jí急
de得
xiàng像
shì是
rè热
guō锅
shàng上
de的
mǎ蚂
yǐ蚁
。
He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.