ling4蛉

Jyutpingling4

Yalelìhng

Definition

Dragonfly, sandfly, or other similar insects.

colloquialanimalsnature

How it's used

While 蛉 can refer to various small insects, in modern Hong Kong Cantonese it is most commonly used to describe dragonflies. It is often used in casual conversation when pointing out insects in nature or near water. It is less formal than the standard term 蜻蜓.

Measure word

zek3隻jek

Examples

go2嗰bin1邊hou2好do1多ling4蛉fei1飛lai4嚟fei1飛heoi3去。

There are many dragonflies flying around over there.

nei5你gin3見m4唔gin3見dou3到jau5有zek3隻ling4蛉hai2喺dou6度？

Do you see a dragonfly over there?

Common phrases

fei1飛ling4蛉

flying dragonfly

Common mistake

Learners often confuse 蛉 with 蚊, which specifically refers to mosquitoes. Using 蛉 to describe a mosquito will cause confusion as they are distinct insects in local usage.