How to Write 虻 (méng) — Meaning “Gadfly / Horsefly”

Think of a gadfly (虫) that can cause death (亡) to cattle by spreading disease. The right side 亡 looks like a small cross or death symbol, reminding you that this insect is dangerous and harmful to livestock.

Write the left radical 虫 first (6 strokes: vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal, vertical, raise, dot), then the right part 亡 (3 strokes: dot, horizontal, vertical fold). Common mistake: making the right part too large or confusing it with 云; keep 亡 compact and balanced with the left side.

虻 (méng) has the right component 亡 (death), meaning gadfly. 虬 (qiú) has 九 (nine) on the right and means a young dragon with horns. 虮 (jǐ) has 几 (small table) on the right and means louse eggs. Visually, the right parts are different: 亡 vs 九 vs 几.

虻 is not common in daily conversation but appears in literature, such as the novel '牛虻' (The Gadfly) by Ethel Voynich. It is also used in traditional Chinese medicine where 虻虫 (dried horsefly) is an ingredient to improve blood circulation. Culturally, a 'gadfly' can metaphorically refer to a persistent critic.

Common words containing 虻 include: 牛虻 (niú méng) — gadfly; 虻虫 (méng chóng) — Gadfly / Horsefly; 虻蝇 (méng yíng) — Horsefly.