zung1螽
Jyutpingzung1
Yalejūng
Definition
Katydid, bush cricket, or long-horned grasshopper.
neutralanimalsnature
How it's used
The character 螽 is rarely used on its own in modern spoken Cantonese, appearing almost exclusively as part of the compound 螽斯. While it refers to katydids, people in Hong Kong typically use the more general term 草蜢 for most grasshopper-like insects in casual conversation. Using 螽斯 sounds significantly more formal or literary, often evoking imagery from classical Chinese poetry rather than everyday life.
Measure word
zek3隻jekExamples
There is a katydid jumping around in the bushes.
Related words
Common phrases
katydid
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with 草蜢, which is the common colloquial term for grasshoppers and locusts. Using 螽斯 in a casual setting might make you sound like you are reading from a textbook or a nature documentary script.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
