| Change log entry 79621 | |
|---|---|
| Processed by: | richwarm (2023-09-24 23:58:19 UTC) |
| Comment: |
<< review queue entry 74227 - submitted by 'kbaiko' >> https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%9E%9F%E8%9B%89#Chinese https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%9E%9F%E8%9B%89%E5%AD%90#Chinese >There was a long-held (but incorrect) belief by the Chinese that moth larvae are carried by wasps (蜾蠃) (thought to be unable to reproduce themselves) to their hives, kept there and raised as if they are the wasps' own offspring. >This has turned out to be a false impression, as the caterpillars are actually taken by the wasps as food for their larvae, but the metaphor of a moth larva or caterpillar for an adopted child has remained. |
| Diff: |
# + 螟蛉 螟蛉 [ming2 ling2] /green rice caterpillar/ # + 螟蛉子 螟蛉子 [ming2 ling2 zi3] /(literary) adopted child/ # + 螟蛉 螟蛉 [ming2 ling2] /green rice caterpillar or similar insect larva/adopted son (Etymology: Wasps of a particular species take caterpillars to their nest as food for their offspring, but it was mistakenly believed that the wasps were raising the caterpillars as their own young.)/ + 螟蛉子 螟蛉子 [ming2 ling2 zi3] /adopted son/ |