legendary insect; ancient money
Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma
Meanings
1 sense · 3 examplesnoun
legendary insect from ancient Chinese texts; by extension, copper coins or money
archaicA literary allusion originating from the *Sou Shen Ji* (In Search of the Supernatural). According to legend, if one coated a mother's blood or the larva's blood on coins, the coins would magically fly back after being spent, making 'qingfu' a classical metaphor for money.
Jù据
shuō说
qīng青
fú蚨
shēng生
zǐ子
hòu后
，
mǔ母
chóng虫
huì会
xún循
xuè血
ér而
guī归
。
It is said that after the qingfu lays eggs, the mother insect will return following the scent of blood.
Gǔ古
rén人
cháng常
yǐ以
qīng青
fú蚨
zuò作
wéi为
qián钱
de的
dài代
chēng称
。
Ancient people often used 'qingfu' as a synonym for money.
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Tā他
náng囊
zhōng中
xiū羞
sè涩
，
wú无
qīng青
fú蚨
kě可
zhì掷
。
His purse was empty, with no coins to spend.