蠃

luǒ

The solitary wasp.

Meaning

Predatory insect; specifically the solitary wasp.

Distinctions

There is significant overlap between this glyph and 螂 (mantis). Because they share a phonetic component (郎), they may be used interchangeably in ancient texts or may refer to a general category of predatory insects rather than making a strict biological distinction.

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History and forms

Often listed as variants of one another (蠃 and 螂).

Translator notes

Given the rarity of this glyph, be alert to the possibility of scribal substitution or orthographic variation with 螂. If the context strongly suggests a mantis—which is a far more common literary subject—the glyph is likely functioning as 螂. To distinguish between the two, rely on behavioral descriptors: stinging and nesting suggest a wasp; ambush predation and "praying" forelegs suggest a mantis.

Decontextualized translator aid. This page describes plausible lexical range; it does not choose what the glyph means in a particular passage.