Definify.com

Definition 2025

蟻

See also: 蚁

Translingual

Han character

蟻 (radical 142 虫+13, 19 strokes, cangjie input 中戈廿土戈 (LITGI), four-corner 5815₃, composition ⿰虫義)

References

KangXi: page 1099, character 3

Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 33672

Dae Jaweon: page 1563, character 8

Hanyu Da Zidian: volume 4, page 2898, character 11

Unihan data for U+87FB

Chinese

trad.		蟻
simp.		蚁
alt. forms		螘蛾

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (我) (Zhengzhang, 2003)
	Old Chinese
莪	*ŋaːl
哦	*ŋaːl
娥	*ŋaːl
峨	*ŋaːl
峩	*ŋaːl
鵝	*ŋaːl
俄	*ŋaːl
蛾	ŋaːl, ŋralʔ
睋	*ŋaːl
涐	*ŋaːl
誐	*ŋaːl
硪	ŋaːl, ŋaːlʔ
我	*ŋaːlʔ
騀	*ŋaːlʔ
餓	*ŋaːls
義	*ŋrals
儀	*ŋral
轙	ŋral, ŋralʔ
檥	ŋral, ŋralʔ
蟻	*ŋralʔ
艤	*ŋralʔ
礒	*ŋralʔ
羛	ŋralʔ, hŋral
議	*ŋrals
犧	*hŋral
曦	*hŋral
羲	*hŋral

Phono-semantic compound (形聲, OC *ŋralʔ) : semantic 虫 ‎(“insect”) + phonetic 義 ‎(OC *ŋrals).

Etymology

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *k/p/s-rwak.

Pronunciation

Mandarin

(Pinyin): yǐ (yi³)

(Zhuyin): ㄧˇ
Cantonese (Jyutping): ngai⁵
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): ngie
Min Nan (POJ): hiā / hiǎ / gí
Wu (Wiktionary): nyi (T3)

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese, Beijing)⁺
  - Pinyin: yǐ
  - Zhuyin: ㄧˇ
  - Wade-Giles: i³
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yii
  - IPA ^(key): /i²¹⁴/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: ngai⁵
  - Yale: ngáih
  - Cantonese Pinyin: ngai⁵
  - IPA ^(key): /ŋɐi̯¹³/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngie
  - Hakka Romanization System: ngie
  - Hagfa Pinyim: ngie⁴
  - IPA: /ɲi̯e⁵⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Sanxia, Yilan, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu, Taichung)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiā
  - Tâi-lô: hiā
  - Phofsit Daibuun: hia
  - IPA (Xiamen): /hia²²/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /hia²²/
  - IPA (Taipei): /hia³³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /hia³³/
- (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiǎ
  - Tâi-lô: hiǎ
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /hia²²/
- (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, mainstream Taiwanese)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gí
  - Tâi-lô: gí
  - Phofsit Daibuun: gie
  - IPA (Xiamen): /gi⁵³/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /gi⁵⁵⁴/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /gi⁵³/
  - IPA (Taipei): /gi⁵³/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /gi⁴¹/
  - Note: hiā/hiǎ - vernacular; gí - literary.
Wu
- (Shanghainese)
  - Wiktionary: nyi (T3)
  - IPA ^(key): /ȵi²³/

Middle Chinese: /ŋˠiᴇ^X/▼

Rime
Character	蟻
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	支 (13)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	Chongniu III
Fanqie	魚倚切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋˠiᴇ^X/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋᵚiɛ^X/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋiɛ^X/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋjiə̆^X/
Li Rong	/ŋje^X/
Wang Li	/ŋǐe^X/
Bernard Karlgren	/ŋie̯^X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yǐ

Old Chinese▼

(Baxter-Sagart): /*m-qʰ(r)ajʔ/

(Zhengzhang): /*ŋralʔ/

Baxter-Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	蟻
Reading #	1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	yǐ
Middle Chinese	‹ ngje^X ›
Old Chinese	/*m-qʰ(r)ajʔ/
English	ant
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter-Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	蟻
Reading #	1/1
No.	13049
Phonetic component	我
Rime group	歌
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	螘
Old Chinese	/*ŋralʔ/
Notes	同螘本作蛾此見孫子

Definitions

蟻

ant
foam or sediment in wine
humble, inconsiderable
black
in an assembled manner
A surname.

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 螞蟻 (“ant”)
Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		蟻、螞蟻
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		螞蟻
Mandarin	Beijing	螞蟻
	Taiwan	螞蟻
	Tianjin	螞蟻
	Jinan	螞蟻、米蛘
	Xi'an	螞蟻
	Wuhan	螞蟻、螞印子、螞燕子
	Chengdu	螞蟻兒、螞蟻子
	Yangzhou	螞蟻
	Hefei	螞蟻
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蟻
	Hong Kong	蟻
	Taishan	蟻
	Yangjiang	蟻
Gan	Nanchang	螞蟻、螞寅子
Hakka	Meixian	蟻公、蟻仔
	Xingning	咪公
	Huidong (Huizhou)	蟻
	Qujiang	蟻公
	Xiaosanjiang	蟻公
	Changting	蟻公
	Pingyu	蟻公
	Wuping	蟻公
	Liancheng	蟻公
	Ninghua	蟻公
	Yudu	螞蟻
	Ruijin	蟻公子、螞蟻
	Shicheng	蟻公
	Shangyou	螞蟻
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	蟻公
	Liudui (S. Sixian)	蟻公
	Hsinchu (Hailu)	蟻公
	Dongshi (Dabu)	蟻公
	Zhuolan (Raoping)	蟻公
	Yunlin (Zhao'an)	蟻子
Jin	Taiyuan	螞蚍蜉、螞蚍蜉兒、螞蟻
Min Bei	Jian'ou	蟻稚仔
Min Dong	Fuzhou	紅蟻、黃蟻
Min Nan	Quanzhou	狗蟻
	Xiamen	狗蟻
	Zhangzhou	狗蟻
	Taipei	狗蟻
	Kaohsiung	狗蟻
	Tainan	狗蟻
	Taichung	狗蟻
	Yilan	狗蟻
	Lukang	狗蟻
	Sanxia	狗蟻
	Kinmen	狗蟻
	Magong	狗蟻
	Hsinchu	狗蟻
	Malaysia	蟻
	Chaozhou	蟻
Wu	Shanghai	螞蟻
	Suzhou	螞蟻
	Wenzhou	火蟻
Xiang	Changsha	螞蟻子
Xiang	Shuangfeng	螞蟻子

Compounds

先驅螻蟻／先驱蝼蚁
兵蟻／兵蚁
如蟻附羶／如蚁附羶
工蟻／工蚁
排蟻陣／排蚁阵
浮蟻／浮蚁
淥蟻／渌蚁
熊蟻／熊蚁
白螞蟻／白蚂蚁
白蟻／白蚁 (báiyǐ)
群蟻潰堤／群蚁溃堤
群蟻附羶／群蚁附羶
肥蟲蟻／肥虫蚁
蓐蟻／蓐蚁
蜂屯蟻聚／蜂屯蚁聚
蜜蟻／蜜蚁
蝸居蟻垤／蜗居蚁垤
螞蟻／蚂蚁 (mǎyǐ)

螞蟻上樹／蚂蚁上树 (mǎyǐ shàng shù)
螞蟻窩／蚂蚁窝
螞蟻緣槐／蚂蚁缘槐
螻蟻／蝼蚁
螻蟻得志／蝼蚁得志
蟲蟲蟻蟻／虫虫蚁蚁
蟲蟻／虫蚁
蟻動／蚁动
蟻合／蚁合
蟻垤／蚁垤
蟻夢／蚁梦
蟻寇／蚁寇
蟻封／蚁封
蟻慕／蚁慕
蟻民／蚁民
蟻潰／蚁溃
蟻獅／蚁狮
蟻穴／蚁穴

蟻結／蚁结
蟻聚之兵／蚁聚之兵
蟻聚蜂屯／蚁聚蜂屯
蟻術／蚁术
蟻裳／蚁裳
蟻觀／蚁观
蟻酸／蚁酸 (yǐsuān)
蟻醛／蚁醛
蟻附／蚁附
蟻集／蚁集
蟻鼻錢／蚁鼻钱
蠶蟻／蚕蚁
隄潰蟻孔／堤溃蚁孔
飛蟻／飞蚁
食蟻獸／食蚁兽 (shíyǐshòu)
馬蟻／马蚁
麋沸蟻動／麋沸蚁动
麋沸蟻聚／麋沸蚁聚

Japanese

Kanji

蟻

(uncommon “Hyōgai” kanji)

Readings

Goon: ぎ (gi)
Kan’on: ぎ (gi)
Kun: あり (ari), ありのこ (arinoko) (rare)

Alternative forms

螘 (rare)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
蟻
ぎ Hyōgaiji
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 蟻 ‎(ngje^X). Compare modern Cantonese 蟻／蚁 (ngai⁵).

Pronunciation

On'yomi
IPA^(key): [ɡi]

Affix

蟻 ‎(hiragana ぎ, romaji gi)

Usage notes

This reading is only found in compounds. When the character is used on its own, it is always read as the kun'yomi of ari.

Derived terms

蟻群 (ぎぐん, gigun): a group of ants
蟻径 (ぎけい, gikei): a narrow road or path (from the way that ants tend to travel in single file)
蟻穴 (ぎけつ, giketsu): an anthill, a hole dug by ants; a very small fault or mistake
蟻蚕 (ぎさん, gisan): a silkworm that has just hatched from its egg (from the superficial similarity to an ant)
蟻酸 (ぎさん, gisan): formic acid
蟻酸塩 (ぎさんえん, gisan'en): formate
蟻集, 蟻聚 (ぎしゅう, gishū): a large grouping, as of many ants
蟻走感 (ぎそうかん, gisōkan): formication: a feeling as of many bugs crawling on one's skin
蟻付 (ぎふ, gifu): a large grouping or gathering of people, much as ants will gather around something sweet
蟻封 (ぎほう, gihō): an anthill
蟻量 (ぎりょう, giryō): “ant-weight”: the weight of a silkworm just after hatching from its egg (see 蟻蚕 (gisan) above)
蟻垤 (ぎてつ, gitetsu): an anthill

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
蟻
あり Hyōgaiji
kun'yomi

Unknown. From Old Japanese, but ultimate derivation remains a mystery. There are potentially interesting similarities to Korean 아리 (ari, “leg”) and 아래 (arae, “below, beneath”), but evidence is lacking.

Pronunciation

Kun'yomi
(Tokyo) あり [àrí] (Heiban - [0])^[1]
IPA^(key): [a̠ɾi]

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana あり, romaji ari)

Idioms

蟻の這い出る隙間もない (ありのはいでるすきまもない, ari no haideru sukima mo nai): “not even a crack wide enough for an ant to crawl through” → without a gap, close, tight
蟻の熊野参り (ありのくまのまいり, ari no Kumano-mairi), 蟻の伊勢参り (ありのいせまいり, ari no Ise-mairi), 蟻の百度参り (ありのひゃくどまいり, ari no hyakudo-mairi), 蟻の堂参り (ありのどうまいり, ari no dō-mairi), 蟻の物参り (ありのものまいり, ari no mono-mairi): “an ants' pilgrimage to Kumano / Ise / the hundred shrines and temples / the temples / the holy sites” → a metaphor likening ants in single file to a procession of pilgrims; alternately, a metaphor for a large group of people moving in single file
蟻の一穴 (ありのいっけつ, ari no ikketsu): “a single ant-hole” → a metaphor for the way a tiny thing can cause grave consequences; compare a stitch in time saves nine
蟻の穴から堤も崩れる (ありのあなからつつみもくずれる, ari no ana kara tsutsumi mo kuzureru), 蟻の穴より堤の崩れ (ありのあなよりつつみのくずれ, ari no ana yori tsutsumi no kuzure): “even a dike can fall apart due to an ant-hole” → a metaphor for the way a tiny thing can cause grave consequences; compare a stitch in time saves nine
蟻の甘きにつく如し (ありのあまきにつくごとし, ari no amaki ni tsuku gotoshi): “just like ants drawn to a sweet” → a metaphor for the way that people are drawn to profitable things; compare like a moth to a flame, of nearly opposite meaning
蟻の思いも天に届く (ありのおもいもてんにとどく, ari no omoi mo ten ni todoku), 蟻の思いも天に昇る (ありのおもいもてんにのぼる, ari no omoi mo ten ni noboru): “even an ant's thoughts can reach / rise to the heavens” → no matter how humble or lowly, if one tries hard enough, one's wishes can still be heard by the gods in heaven; compare where there's a will, there's a way
蟻の塔を組む如し (ありのとうをくむごとし, ari no tō o kumu gotoshi): “just like building an ant tower [anthill]” → even great deeds can be accomplished through patient work; compare a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step

Derived terms

蟻の塔 (ありのとう, ari no tō): an “ant tower” → an anthill
蟻の塔草 (ありのとうぐさ, ari no tō-gusa): a kind of seaberry, Haloragis micrantha
蟻の塔草科 (ありのとうぐさか, ari no tō-gusa ka): the seaberry family, Haloragaceae
蟻の子 (ありのこ, ari no ko): an ant, particularly one without wings; an ant egg or larva

Etymology 3

Kanji in this term
蟻
ありのこ Hyōgaiji
kun'yomi

Compound of 蟻 ‎(ari, “ant”) +‎ の ‎(no, possessive particle) +‎ 子 ‎(ko, “child; small thing”).

Pronunciation

Kun'yomi
IPA^(key): [a̠ɾĩno̞ko̞]

Alternative forms

蟻の子

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana ありのこ, romaji arinoko)

(obsolete) an ant, particularly one without wings
- 794, Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki (page 161)
  蚊蟻上可下音疑訓安利乃古^[2]
(obsolete) an ant egg or larva

Usage notes

The spelling of 蟻 for ari no ko is generally only seen in old texts. In modern Japanese, this term is much more commonly spelled as 蟻の子.

References

↑ 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, ISBN 4-385-13905-9
↑ Yoshinori Kobayashi, Kojisho Ongi Shūsei 1: Shin'yaku Kegonkyō Ongi Shiki (in Japanese), Kyūko Shoin (published 1978; original text from 794), ISBN 4-7629-3088-1.

Kikai

Kanji

蟻

Readings

Native: あーにー (ānī), あに (ani), あい (ai)

Etymology

Cognate with Old Japanese 蟻 ‎(ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /(ˀ)aːnʲiː/

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana あーにー, romaji ānī)

Korean

Hanja

蟻 • ‎(ui) (hangeul 의, revised ui, McCune-Reischauer ŭi, Yale uy)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Northern Amami-Oshima

Kanji

蟻 ‎(hiragana あみ, romaji ami)

Etymology

Cognate with Old Japanese 蟻 ‎(ari, “ant”).

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana あみ, romaji ami)

Oki-No-Erabu

Kanji

蟻 ‎(hiragana あに, romaji ani)

Etymology

Cognate with Old Japanese 蟻 ‎(ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˀani/

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana あに, romaji ani)

Okinawan

Kanji

蟻 ‎(hiragana あい, romaji ai)

Etymology

Cognate with Old Japanese 蟻 ‎(ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ʔai/

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana あい, romaji ai)

Compounds

蟻子 (あいこー, aikō): ant

Southern Amami-Oshima

Kanji

蟻 ‎(hiragana あみ, romaji ami)

Etymology

Cognate with Old Japanese 蟻 ‎(ari, “ant”).

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana あみ, romaji ami)

Vietnamese

Han character

蟻 (nghĩ, nghị)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Yonaguni

Kanji

蟻 ‎(hiragana あや, romaji aya)

Etymology

Cognate with Old Japanese 蟻 ‎(ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˀaja/

Noun

蟻 ‎(hiragana あや, romaji aya)

Definify.com

Definition 2025

蟻

蟻

Translingual

Han character

References

Chinese

Glyph origin

Etymology

Pronunciation

Definitions

Synonyms

Compounds

Japanese

Kanji

Readings

Alternative forms

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

Affix

Usage notes

Derived terms

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

Noun

Idioms

Derived terms

Etymology 3

Pronunciation

Alternative forms

Noun

Usage notes

References

Kikai

Kanji

Readings

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Korean

Hanja

Northern Amami-Oshima

Kanji

Etymology

Noun

Oki-No-Erabu

Kanji

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Okinawan

Kanji

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Compounds

Southern Amami-Oshima

Kanji

Etymology

Noun

Vietnamese

Han character

Yonaguni

Kanji

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

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