# 蜻蛉
## Chinese
### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): qīnglíng
    (Zhuyin): ㄑㄧㄥ ㄌㄧㄥˊ
* Cantonese (Jyutping): cing$^1$ ling$^4$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: qīnglíng
*** Zhuyin: ㄑㄧㄥ ㄌㄧㄥˊ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cinglíng
*** Wade–Giles: chʻing$^1$-ling$^2$
*** Yale: chīng-líng
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: chingling
*** Palladius: цинлин (cinlin)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡ɕʰiŋ⁵⁵ liŋ³⁵/
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: cing$^1$ ling$^4$
*** Yale: chīng lìhng
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsing$^1$ ling$^4$
*** Guangdong Romanization: qing$^1$ ling$^4$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɪŋ⁵⁵ lɪŋ²¹/
* Middle Chinese: tsheng leng
Rime :
| Character | 蜻 | 蛉 |
| Reading # | 2/2 | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 清 (14) | 來 (37) |
| Final (韻) | 青 (125) | 青 (125) |
| Tone (調) | Level (Ø) | Level (Ø) |
| Openness (開合) | Open | Open |
| Division (等) | IV | IV |
| Fanqie | 倉經切 | 郎丁切 |
| Baxter | tsheng | leng |
| Reconstructions |||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡sʰeŋ/ | /leŋ/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /t͡sʰeŋ/ | /leŋ/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡sʰɛŋ/ | /lɛŋ/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /t͡sʰɛjŋ/ | /lɛjŋ/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡sʰeŋ/ | /leŋ/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡sʰieŋ/ | /lieŋ/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /t͡sʰieŋ/ | /lieŋ/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | qīng | líng |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | cing$^1$ | ling$^4$ |

### Noun

蜻蛉
* (literary) dragonfly

#### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Classical Chinese | Classical Chinese | 蜻, 蜻蜓, 蜻蛉, 虰蛵 |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 蜻蜓 |
| Taxonomic name | Taxonomic name | 蜻蜓 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Beijing | 螞螂, 老琉璃, 琉璃, 蜻蜓 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 蜻蜓 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Langfang | 螞螂 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Hulunbuir (Hailar) | 螞螂兒 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Harbin | 蜻蜓, 螞螂 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Shenyang | 螞螂 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 蜻蜓 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tianjin | 老褐, 老蜓 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Tangshan | 螞螂 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Cangzhou | 螞螂 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Baoding | 螞螂 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Shijiazhuang | 螞螂兒 |
| Jilu Mandarin | Jinan | 蜻蜓 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Yantai (Muping) | 蜻蜓兒, 老老擔兒 |
| Jiaoliao Mandarin | Qingdao | 蜻蜓 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Luoyang | 虰虰 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Daming | 抨抨砣 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Wanrong | 棒槌 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Zhengzhou | 虰虰, 麥虰虰 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xi'an | 螞螂 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xining | 蜻蜓 |
| Central Plains Mandarin | Xuzhou | 光光蜓 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Yinchuan | 老虎招招 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Lanzhou | 春官 |
| Lanyin Mandarin | Ürümqi | 蜻蜓 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Chengdu | 虰虰貓兒, 蜻蜓 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Wuhan | 虰虰 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guiyang | 蜻蜓 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Kunming | 蜻蜓 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guilin | 蜻蜓 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Guanyang | 咩咩蛘 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Pingle | 咩咩蛘 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Liuzhou | 塘咩, 蜻蜓 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Luzhai | 蜻蜓 |
| Southwestern Mandarin | Tianlin (Langping) | 沙蛘 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nanjing | 蜻蜻, 蜻蜓 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Yangzhou | 蜻蜻子 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Nantong | 䗌虰 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Hefei | 蜻蜻, 蜻蜻子 |
| Jianghuai Mandarin | Huanggang | 蜻雀兒 |
| Mandarin | Fuzhou (Qinjiang, Changle) | 螞螂 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 蜻蜓, 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou) | 囊蜊 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Kam Tin; Weitou) | 囊蜺 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Ting Kok) | 囊蜊 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong (Tung Ping Chau) | 囊蜊 |
| Cantonese | Macau | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Panyu) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Huashan, Huadu) | 揚尾 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Conghua) | 囊泥 |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou (Zengcheng) | 囊蜊 |
| Cantonese | Foshan | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Shunde) | 塘蜊 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Sanshui) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Zhongshan (Shiqi) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou) | 蟲尾 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Zhuhai (Doumen) | 囊蜺 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Baisha) | 郎里 |
| Cantonese | Jiangmen (Xinhui) | 囊蜺 |
| Cantonese | Taishan | 黃尾 |
| Cantonese | Kaiping (Chikan) | 黃蜺 |
| Cantonese | Enping (Niujiang) | 禾狸 |
| Cantonese | Heshan (Yayao) | 娘迷 |
| Cantonese | Dongguan | 䗧蛜 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Shajing, Bao'an) | 塘泥 |
| Cantonese | Shenzhen (Dapeng) | 蜋蜺 |
| Cantonese | Qingyuan | 黃尾池 |
| Cantonese | Fogang | 囊泥 |
| Cantonese | Yingde (Hanguang) | 楊眉池 |
| Cantonese | Lianzhou (Qingshui; Sihui) | 蜻蜓 |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan | 塘蜊 |
| Cantonese | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 蜋尾 |
| Cantonese | Renhua | 羅尾仔 |
| Cantonese | Lechang | 塘尾, 後尾 |
| Cantonese | Zhaoqing (Gaoyao) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Sihui | 落尼 |
| Cantonese | Guangning | 塘尼 |
| Cantonese | Deqing | 塘尼 |
| Cantonese | Huaiji | 蜋蜊 |
| Cantonese | Yunfu | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Xinxing | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Luoding | 塘尼 |
| Cantonese | Yangjiang | 朋蜺 |
| Cantonese | Xinyi | 癩痢 |
| Cantonese | Maoming (Xinpo) | 囊呢 |
| Cantonese | Nanning | 塘咩 |
| Cantonese | Wuzhou | 塘蜺 |
| Cantonese | Yulin | 塘蜺 |
| Cantonese | Hepu (Lianzhou) | 蜻蜓 |
| Cantonese | Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu) | 塘尾 |
| Cantonese | Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu) | 塘尾 |
| Gan | Nanchang | 虰虰, 蜻蜓 |
| Gan | Lichuan | 港雞 |
| Gan | Pingxiang | 揚尾 |
| Hakka | Meixian | 囊蜺仔, 囊蜺, 囊尾 |
| Hakka | Xingning | 黃咪哩 |
| Hakka | Huizhou (Huicheng; Bendihua) | 囊蜺 |
| Hakka | Huiyang | 黃蜺仔, 黃蜺 |
| Hakka | Huidong (Daling) | 黃蜺仔 |
| Hakka | Dongguan (Qingxi) | 黃蜺 |
| Hakka | Shenzhen (Shatoujiao) | 黃蜺 |
| Hakka | Zhongshan (Nanlang Heshui) | 黃蜺 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Huacheng) | 黃尾哩, 娘尾哩 |
| Hakka | Wuhua (Meilin) | 囊蜺哩 |
| Hakka | Heyuan (Bendihua) | 囊蜺 |
| Hakka | Shaoguan (Qujiang) | 龍蟻子 |
| Hakka | Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang) | 囊蜺 |
| Hakka | Liannan | 囊蜺 |
| Hakka | Guangzhou (Lütian, Conghua) | 囊蜺 |
| Hakka | Jiexi | 囊蜺 |
| Hakka | Changting | 挪尾 |
| Hakka | Wuping | 羊必子 |
| Hakka | Wuping (Pingyu) | 揚尾子 |
| Hakka | Liancheng | 蒙里 |
| Hakka | Ninghua | 管胚 |
| Hakka | Yudu | 塘尾 |
| Hakka | Ruijin | 囊蟻子 |
| Hakka | Shicheng | 康雞 |
| Hakka | Shangyou (Shexi) | 塘子 |
| Hakka | Miaoli (N. Sixian) | 揚尾仔 |
| Hakka | Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian) | 揚尾仔 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu) | 囊蜺仔, 揚尾仔 |
| Hakka | Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu) | 揚尾 |
| Hakka | Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping) | 囊蜺仔 |
| Hakka | Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an) | 蛘蜺 |
| Hakka | Hong Kong | 黃蜺 |
| Hakka | Luchuan | 螗蜊 |
| Hakka | Sabah (Longchuan) | 囊蜺 |
| Hakka | Senai (Huiyang) | 囊蜺 |
| Huizhou | Jixi | 蜓蜓 |
| Jin | Taiyuan | 兒蜻 |
| Jin | Pingyao | 水師婆 |
| Jin | Xinzhou | 河蟢蟢 |
| Jin | Hohhot | 蜻蜓 |
| Jin | Zhangjiakou | 水池牌兒 |
| Jin | Handan | 水蜓蜓 |
| Northern Min | Jian'ou | 刊魁 |
| Northern Min | Songxi | 紅魁仔 |
| Northern Min | Zhenghe | 狐狸仔 |
| Northern Min | Jianyang | 刊魁仔, 刊魁 |
| Northern Min | Wuyishan | 刊魁 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou | 螞蝴 |
| Eastern Min | Fuzhou (Changle) | 蜻胲 |
| Eastern Min | Fuqing | 茶茶娘 |
| Eastern Min | Yongtai | 蜻胲 |
| Eastern Min | Gutian | 蜻𧉪 |
| Eastern Min | Fu'an | 蜻𧉪 |
| Eastern Min | Ningde | 蜻𧉪娘 |
| Eastern Min | Shouning | 蜻𧉪 |
| Eastern Min | Zhouning | 蜻𧉪 |
| Eastern Min | Fuding | 蜻𧉪 |
| Eastern Min | Matsu | 螞蝴 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Xiamen (Heshan) | 𧌄嬰 |
| Southern Min | Quanzhou | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Jinjiang | 田嬰, 山蜊 |
| Southern Min | Anxi | 含嬰 |
| Southern Min | Yongchun | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Dehua | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou (Longhai) | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Zhangzhou (Changtai) | 蜻咩 |
| Southern Min | Pinghe | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Zhangpu | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Zhao'an | 山咩 |
| Southern Min | Dongshan | 田嬰, 山咩 rural |
| Southern Min | Taipei | 𧌄嬰 |
| Southern Min | New Taipei (Sanxia) | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Kaohsiung | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Yilan | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Changhua (Lukang) | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Taichung | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Taichung (Wuqi) | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Tainan | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Taitung | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Hsinchu | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Kinmen | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Penghu (Magong) | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Hokkien) | 田嬰 |
| Southern Min | Manila (Hokkien) | 田嬰, 山蜊 |
| Southern Min | Longyan | 羅離 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping | 臭尼 |
| Southern Min | Zhangping (Yongfu) | 新嬰 |
| Southern Min | Datian | 翼嬰 |
| Southern Min | Chaozhou | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Raoping | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Shantou | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Shantou (Chenghai) | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Nan'ao (Houzhai) | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Nan'ao (Yun'ao) | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Jieyang | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Haifeng | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Johor Bahru (Teochew) | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Singapore (Teochew) | 𬠋𧌊 |
| Southern Min | Leizhou | 蛅蛉 |
| Southern Min | Wenchang | 雙枒, 雙夏, 雙翼 |
| Southern Min | Haikou | 蜻蜓 |
| Southern Min | Qionghai | 雙枒, 雙翼 |
| Puxian Min | Putian | 淺咪叉, 淺咪叉蝦 |
| Puxian Min | Xianyou | 八赤蝦 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi) | 木魚 |
| Zhongshan Min | Zhongshan (Sanxiang) | 蛜嬰 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 蜻蜓 |
| Wu | Shanghai (Chongming) | 新人 |
| Wu | Suzhou | 蜻蜓 |
| Wu | Wuxi | 蜻蜓 |
| Wu | Danyang | 蜻蜓, 蜻蜓蜓, 蜓 |
| Wu | Hangzhou | 蜻蜓 |
| Wu | Ningbo | 蜻蜓 |
| Wu | Wenzhou | 蜻蜓 |
| Wu | Jinhua | 蜻蜓 |
| Xiang | Changsha | 洋咪咪 |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | 洋眯眯 |
| Xiang | Loudi | 洋咪咪 |
| Xiang | Shuangfeng | 洋洋蠛, 洋媽蠛 |
| Xiang | Hengyang | 洋咪咪 |

#### Derived terms

* 竹蜻蛉
* 草蜻蛉

#### Descendants

* → Japanese: 蜻蛉(せいれい) (seirei)
* → Korean: 청령(蜻蛉) (cheongnyeong)

## Japanese
### Etymology 1

Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| とんぼ ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| jukujikun ||
* Alternative spelling
* 蜻蜓
/toɴboː/ → /toɴbo/
Shift from earlier tonbō, shortening the final vowel. Now the most common reading of this term.
The kanji are jukujikun (熟字訓), from Chinese 蜻蛉 (qīnglíng).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) とんぼ [tòńbó] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [tõ̞mbo̞]

#### Noun

蜻蛉(とんぼ) or 蜻蛉(トンボ) • (tonbo)
* dragonfly
    Synonym: (Tsugaru) だんぶり (danburi)

##### Usage notes

* As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as トンボ.

##### Derived terms

* 蜻蛉草(トンボソウ) (tonbosō)
* 竹(たけ)蜻(とん)蛉(ぼ) (take tonbo): a bamboo dragonfly/bamboo-copter; a toy.
* 黄(き)蜻(とん)蛉(ぼ) (ki tonbo): a yellow darter (Sympetrum croceolum)

### Etymology 2

Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| とんぼう ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| jukujikun ||
/toubau/ → /toːbɔː/ → /toɴbɔː/ → /toɴboː/
Shift from earlier tōbō. Appears in the 康頼本草 (Yasuyori Honzō) of 995 CE.

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) とんぼー [tòńbóó] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [tõ̞mbo̞ː]

#### Noun

蜻蛉(とんぼう) or 蜻蛉(トンボー) • (tonbō)
* dragonfly

### Etymology 3

Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| とうぼう ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| jukujikun ||
/toubau/ → /toːbɔː/ → /toːboː/
Derivation unknown. Some theories include:
* Originally a compound of 飛ぶ (tobu, “to fly; flying”) + 棒 (bō, “stick, pole”, ancient reading bau). However, this combines a native Japanese etymon with a Chinese borrowing, and the term appears early in the historical record, when such compounds were not common.
* Originally a compound of 飛ぶ (tobu, “to fly; flying”) + 羽 (ha, “wing”, ancient reading pa) + uncertain element う (u). While more likely in terms of historical trends, this leaves the final element unexplained.
This reading appears to have been superseded by tonbō and tonbo.

#### Pronunciation

* IPA: [to̞ːbo̞ː]

#### Noun

蜻蛉(とうぼう) or 蜻蛉(トウボウ) • (tōbō)
* (archaic, possibly obsolete) dragonfly

### Etymology 4

Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| せい Hyōgai | れい Hyōgai |
| kan'on ||
From Middle Chinese 蜻蛉 (MC tsjeng leng).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) せーれー [sèéréé] (Heiban – [0])
* IPA: [se̞ːɾe̞ː]

#### Noun

蜻(せい)蛉(れい) or 蜻蛉(セイレイ) • (seirei)
* dragonfly

### Etymology 5

Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| えんば ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| irregular ||
Attested in the late 18th century.
This etymology is incomplete. You can help Wiktionary by elaborating on the origins of this term.

#### Noun

蜻蛉(えんば) or 蜻蛉(エンバ) • (enba)
* (archaic) dragonfly

### Etymology 6

Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| あきつ ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| irregular ||
Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| あきず ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| irregular ||
For pronunciation and definitions of 蜻蛉 – see the following entry. :
| 【秋津あきず】 | [noun] (archaic) dragonfly Alternative spelling アキズ |
| 【秋津あきつ】 | [noun] (archaic, since the Heian period) dragonfly [proper noun] a railway station in Higashimurayama, Tokyo [proper noun] a shrine in Higashimurayama, Tokyo [proper noun] name of several towns in Japan [proper noun] Akitsu (a town in Higashimurayama, Tokyo prefecture, Japan) [proper noun] Akitsu (a town in Meitoku district, Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan) [proper noun] Akitsu (a town in Higashi district, Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan) [1954–] [proper noun] name of several villages in Japan [proper noun] a surname Alternative spelling アキツ |
(This term, 蜻蛉, is an alternative spelling of the above term.) :

### Etymology 7

Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| かぎろう ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| irregular ||
Kanji in this term :
| 蜻 | 蛉 |
| かげろう ||
| Hyōgai | Hyōgai |
| irregular ||
For pronunciation and definitions of 蜻蛉 – see the following entry. :
| 【蜉蝣かげろう】 | [noun] a mayfly [noun] (obsolete) Synonym of 蜻蛉 (tonbo, “dragonfly”) Alternative spelling カゲロウ |
| 【蜉蝣かぎろう】 | [noun] (obsolete) Synonym of 蜻蛉 (tonbo, “dragonfly”) |
(This term, 蜻蛉, is an alternative spelling (obsolete) of the above term.) :

### References

* ↑ “蜻蛉・蜻蜓”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
* ↑ NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
* 1 2 3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN
* 1 2 3 “蜻蛉”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
* 1 2 “トンボ・蜻蛉”, in 日本辞典 (Nihon Jiten, “Japan Dictionary”) (in Japanese), 2007–2017.
* 1 2 “トンボ／蜻蛉／とんぼ”, in 語源由来辞典 (Gogen Yurai Jiten, “Etymology Derivation Dictionary”) (in Japanese), 2003–2025.