瓢虫
piáochóng
The English word ladybug is translated into Chinese as 瓢虫 (piáochóng).
瓢虫 refers to a small, round beetle with a red or orange shell and black spots.
What does it mean word for word?
The name 瓢虫 (piáochóng) literally translates to 'ladle bug', referring to the insect's rounded, ladle-like shape.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cantonese, the term for ladybug is 瓢蟲.
How do you pronounce it?
piáochóng
Did you know?
- Unlike the English 'ladybug' which implies a connection to a lady, the Chinese term is entirely secular and focused on the physical resemblance to a tool.
- The word for 'bug' in 瓢虫, which is 虫 (chóng), is used in Chinese to categorize a vast range of organisms from insects to snakes and even certain mollusks.
- While 瓢虫 is the standard term, some people in China call it 七星瓢虫 because the most common species in the region typically has seven black spots.
Examples in context
- 看，那里有一只瓢虫！Look, there's a ladybug!
- 今天我看到很多彩色的瓢虫。I saw many colorful ladybugs today.
- 瓢虫轻轻地降落在花上。The ladybug landed gently on the flower.
- 这只瓢虫很可爱。Zhè zhǐ piáochóng hěn kě'ài.This ladybug is very cute.
- 你看，那有一只瓢虫。Nǐ kàn, nà yǒu yī zhǐ piáochóng.Look, there is a ladybug over there.
- 瓢虫身上有黑色的斑点。Piáochóng shēnshang yǒu hēisè de bāndiǎn.The ladybug has black spots on its shell.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Yuting are walking in a garden.
- 志强 Zhiqiang雨婷，快看这只瓢虫！Yǔ tíng, kuài kàn zhè zhī piáo chóng!Yuting, look at this ladybug!
- 雨婷 Yuting它好可爱啊。Tā hǎo kě ài a.It is so cute.
- 志强 Zhiqiang我们可以把它养在家里吗？Wǒ men kě yǐ bǎ tā yǎng zài jiā lǐ ma?Can we keep it at home?
- 雨婷 Yuting不，让它留在花园里吧。Bù, ràng tā liú zài huā yuán lǐ ba.No, let it stay in the garden.
