蟻

See also: 蚁

蟻 U+87FB, 蟻 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-87FB ← 蟺 [U+87FA] CJK Unified Ideographs 蟼 → [U+87FC]

Translingual

Stroke order

Han character

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

References

• Kangxi Dictionary: page 1099, character 3
• Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 33672
• Dae Jaweon: page 1563, character 8
• Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 4, page 2898, character 11
• Unihan data for U+87FB

Chinese

trad.		蟻
simp.		蚁
alternative forms		螘／𰲹 蛾

Glyph origen

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 / 形声, OC *ŋralʔ) : semantic 虫 (“insect”) + phonetic 義 (OC *ŋrals).

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• Mandarin

  (Standard)

  (Pinyin): yǐ (yi³)

  (Zhuyin): ㄧˇ

  (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): yi²

• Cantonese

  (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): ngai⁵

  (Taishan, Wiktionary): ngai²

• Hakka

  (Sixian, PFS): ngie

  (Meixian, Guangdong): ni¹ / ngi⁴

• Jin (Wiktionary): i²
• Northern Min (KCR): ngṳè
• Eastern Min (BUC): ngiê
• Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): hyo⁵ / hya⁵ / gi³
• Southern Min

  (Hokkien, POJ): hiā / hiǎ / gí

  (Teochew, Peng'im): hia⁶

  (Leizhou, Leizhou Pinyin): hia⁶ / ngi⁶

• Wu (Shanghai, Wugniu): ⁶gni
• Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): nyi⁵ / nyi⁴

---

• Mandarin
  • (Standard Chinese)⁺
    • Hanyu Pinyin: yǐ
    • Zhuyin: ㄧˇ
    • Tongyong Pinyin: yǐ
    • Wade–Giles: i³
    • Yale: yǐ
    • Gwoyeu Romatzyh: yii
    • Palladius: и (i)
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i²¹⁴/
  • (Chengdu)
    • Sichuanese Pinyin: yi²
    • Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: i
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /i²¹/
• Cantonese
  • (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
    • Jyutping: ngai⁵
    • Yale: ngáih
    • Cantonese Pinyin: ngai⁵
    • Guangdong Romanization: ngei⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋɐi̯¹³/
  • (Taishanese, Taicheng)
    • Wiktionary: ngai²
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ᵑɡai⁵⁵/
• Hakka
  • (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
    • Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ngie
    • Hakka Romanization System: ngie
    • Hagfa Pinyim: ngie⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /ŋi̯e⁵⁵/
  • (Meixian)
    • Guangdong: ni¹ / ngi⁴
    • Sinological IPA: /ni⁴⁴/, /ŋi⁵³/

Note:

• Meixian:
  • ni1 - vernacular;
  • ngi4 - literary.

• Jin
  • (Taiyuan)⁺
    • Wiktionary: i²
    • Sinological IPA (old-style): /i⁵³/
• Northern Min
  • (Jian'ou)
    • Kienning Colloquial Romanized: ngṳè
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋyɛ⁴²/
• Eastern Min
  • (Fuzhou)
    • Bàng-uâ-cê: ngiê
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ŋiɛ²⁴²/
• Puxian Min
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: hyo⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hyɒ²¹/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: hya⁵
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hya²¹/
  • (Putian)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ki⁴⁵³/
  • (Xianyou)
    • Pouseng Ping'ing: gi³
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /ki³³²/

Note:

• hyo5/hya5 - vernacular;
• gi3 - literary.

• Southern Min
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Yongchun, Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Sanxia, Yilan, Kinmen, Magong, Hsinchu, Taichung, Singapore)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiā
    • Tâi-lô: hiā
    • Phofsit Daibuun: hia
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Yongchun, Kinmen, Singapore): /hia²²/
    • IPA (Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, Yilan): /hia³³/
  • (Hokkien: Quanzhou, Lukang, Philippines)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: hiǎ
    • Tâi-lô: hiǎ
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /hia²²/
    • IPA (Lukang, Philippines): /hia³³/
  • (Hokkien: Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, General Taiwanese)
    • Pe̍h-ōe-jī: gí
    • Tâi-lô: gí
    • Phofsit Daibuun: gie
    • IPA (Kaohsiung): /ɡi⁴¹/
    • IPA (Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Taipei): /ɡi⁵³/
    • IPA (Quanzhou): /ɡi⁵⁵⁴/

Note:

• hiā/hiǎ - vernacular;
• gí - literary.

• (Teochew)
  • Peng'im: hia⁶
  • Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: hiă
  • Sinological IPA ^(key): /hia³⁵/
• (Leizhou)
  • Leizhou Pinyin: hia⁶ / ngi⁶
  • Sinological IPA: /hia³³/, /ŋi³³/

Note:

• hia6 - vernacular;
• ngi6 - literary.

• Wu
  • (Northern: Shanghai)
    • Wugniu: ⁶gni
    • MiniDict: nyi^去
    • Wiktionary Romanisation (Shanghai): ³nyi
    • Sinological IPA (Shanghai): /n̠ʲi²³/
• Xiang
  • (Changsha)
    • Wiktionary: nyi⁵ / nyi⁴
    • Sinological IPA ^(key): /n̠ʲi²¹/, /n̠ʲi⁴⁵/

---

• Middle Chinese: ngjeX

Rime
Character	蟻
Reading #	1/1
Initial (聲)	疑 (31)
Final (韻)	支 (13)
Tone (調)	Rising (X)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	III
Fanqie	魚倚切
Baxter	ngjeX
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/ŋˠiᴇX/
Pan Wuyun	/ŋᵚiɛX/
Shao Rongfen	/ŋiɛX/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/ŋjiə̆X/
Li Rong	/ŋjeX/
Wang Li	/ŋǐeX/
Bernhard Karlgren	/ŋie̯X/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	yǐ
Expected Cantonese Reflex	ji5

• 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	‹ ngjeX ›
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

1. ant (Classifier: 隻／只 c)

   • 人如極細極細的蟻　從來難敵時代的洗禮 [Literary Cantonese, trad.]
     人如极细极细的蚁　从来难敌时代的洗礼 [Literary Cantonese, simp.]

     From: 2022, 林家謙 [Terence Lam], lyrics by 黃偉文 [Wyman Wong], 邊一個發明了ENCORE

     jan⁴ jyu⁴ gik⁶ sai³ gik⁶ sai³ dik¹ ngai⁵, cung⁴ loi⁴ naan⁴ dik⁶ si⁴ doi⁶ dik¹ sai² lai⁵ [Jyutping]

     People are teeny-tiny ants; they can hardly ever go against the test of time

2. (literary) foam or sediment in wine; lees
3. (literary) humble; inconsiderable
4. (literary) black
5. (literary) in an assembled manner
6. a surname

Synonyms

Dialectal synonyms of 螞蟻 (“ant”) [map]

Variety	Location	Words edit
Classical Chinese		蟻, 螞蟻
Formal (Written Standard Chinese)		螞蟻
Northeastern Mandarin	Beijing	螞蟻
	Taiwan	螞蟻
	Ulanhot	螞蟻
	Tongliao	螞蟻
	Chifeng	螞蟻
	Hulunbuir (Hailar)	螞蟻
	Harbin	螞蟻
	Shenyang	螞蟻
	Malaysia	螞蟻
	Singapore	螞蟻
Jilu Mandarin	Tianjin	螞蟻
	Jinan	螞蟻, 米蛘
Jiaoliao Mandarin	Yantai (Muping)	蟣螞蛘子, 螞蟣蛘子
Central Plains Mandarin	Luoyang	螞蟻
	Wanrong	螞螞蚍蜉
	Zhengzhou	螞蟻
	Xi'an	螞蟻
	Xining	螞蟻蟲兒
	Xuzhou	螞蟻
	Sokuluk (Gansu Dungan)	螞蟻
	Masanchin (Shaanxi Dungan)	螞蟻蟲子
Lanyin Mandarin	Yinchuan	螞蟻
	Bayanhot	螞蟻
	Lanzhou	螞蟻蟲兒
	Ürümqi	螞蟻
Southwestern Mandarin	Chengdu	螞蟻兒, 螞蟻子
	Wuhan	螞蟻, 螞印子, 螞燕子
	Guiyang	螞蟻
	Kunming	螞蟻
	Guilin	螞蟻
	Liuzhou	螞蟻
Jianghuai Mandarin	Nanjing	螞蟻
	Yangzhou	螞蟻
	Hefei	螞蟻
Cantonese	Guangzhou	蟻
	Hong Kong	蟻, 螞蟻
	Hong Kong (San Tin; Weitou)	蟻
	Macau	蟻
	Taishan	蟻
	Dongguan	蟻
	Yangjiang	蟻
	Xinyi	蟻
	Wuchuan (Wuyang)	蟻
	Beihai	蟻仔
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cô Tô)	蟻
	Beihai (Qiaogang - Cát Bà)	蟻
	Fangchenggang (Fangcheng)	蟻
	Danzhou	蟻仔
	Kuala Lumpur (Guangfu)	蟻
	Penang (Guangfu)	蟻
	Singapore (Guangfu)	蟻
	Ho Chi Minh City (Guangfu)	蟻
	Móng Cái	蟻
Gan	Nanchang	螞蟻, 螞印子
	Lichuan	螞蟻
	Pingxiang	螞蟻子
Hakka	Meixian	蟻公, 蟻仔
	Xingning	咪公
	Huiyang	蟻子
	Huidong (Daling)	蟻
	Dongguan (Qingxi)	蟻
	Wuhua (Huacheng)	蟻公
	Heyuan (Bendihua)	蟻
	Shaoguan (Qujiang)	蟻公
	Lianshan (Xiaosanjiang)	蟻公
	Liannan	蟻公
	Jiexi	蟻公
	Luhe	蟻仔
	Zhao'an (Xiuzhuan)	蟻子
	Changting	蟻公
	Wuping	蟻公
	Wuping (Yanqian)	蟻公
	Wuping (Pingyu)	蟻公
	Liancheng	蟻公
	Ninghua	蟻公, 蟻子
	Yudu	螞蟻
	Ningdu	蟻公
	Ruijin	蟻公子, 螞蟻
	Shicheng	蟻公
	Shangyou (Shexi)	螞蟻
	Tonggu (Sandu)	蟻公
	Ganzhou (Panlong)	螞蟻
	Dayu	螞蟻
	Miaoli (N. Sixian)	蟻公
	Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)	蟻公
	Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)	蟻公
	Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)	蟻公
	Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)	蟻仔, 蟻公
	Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)	蟻子
	Hong Kong	蟻公, 蟻子
	Mengshan (Xihe)	蟻公
	Luchuan	蟻
	Sabah (Longchuan)	螞蟻, 蟻公
	Senai (Huiyang)	蟻
	Singkawang	蟻, 蟻公
Huizhou	Jixi	螞蟻
	Shexian	螞蟻
	Huangshan (Tunxi)	螞蟻
	Xiuning	螞蟻
	Qimen	螞蟻
	Wuyuan	螞蟻
	Fuliang	螞蟻
	Dexing	螞蟻
	Jingde	王眼的
Jin	Taiyuan	螞蚍蜉, 螞蚍蜉兒, 螞蟻
	Pingyao	螞蚍蜉
	Xinzhou	螞蚍蜉
	Taibus (Baochang)	螞蟻
	Linhe	螞蟻
	Jining	螞蟻
	Hohhot	螞蟻官兒
	Baotou	螞蟻
	Dongsheng	螞蟻
	Haibowan	螞蟻
Northern Min	Jian'ou	蟻稚仔
	Songxi	蟻蠍嫲
	Zhenghe	真蟻仔
	Zhenghe (Zhenqian)	宗蟻仔
	Jianyang	蟻仔
	Wuyishan	蟻仔
	Pucheng (Shibei)	蟻仔
Eastern Min	Fuzhou	紅蟻
	Fuzhou (Changle)	黃蟻
	Fuqing	黃蟻, 紅蟻
	Yongtai	黃蟻
	Gutian	蟻
	Fu'an	蟻
	Ningde	黃蟻
	Shouning	蟻
	Zhouning	蟻
	Fuding	蟻
	Matsu	黃蟻
Southern Min	Xiamen	狗蟻
	Xiamen (Tong'an)	狗蟻
	Quanzhou	狗蟻
	Yongchun	蟻
	Dehua	草蟻
	Zhangzhou	狗蟻
	Zhangzhou (Longhai)	狗蟻
	Zhangzhou (Changtai)	狗蟻仔
	Hua'an	狗蟻
	Nanjing	狗蟻
	Pinghe	狗蟻
	Zhangpu	狗蟻
	Zhao'an	狗蟻
	Dongshan	狗蟻
	Taipei	狗蟻
	New Taipei (Sanxia)	狗蟻
	Kaohsiung	狗蟻
	Yilan	狗蟻
	Changhua (Lukang)	狗蟻
	Taichung	狗蟻
	Taichung (Wuqi)	狗蟻
	Tainan	狗蟻
	Taitung	狗蟻
	Hsinchu	狗蟻
	Kinmen	狗蟻
	Penghu (Magong)	狗蟻
	Penang (Hokkien)	蟻
	Singapore (Hokkien)	狗蟻
	Manila (Hokkien)	狗蟻, 蟻
	Medan (Hokkien)	狗蟻
	Longyan	蟻翁
	Zhangping	蟻
	Zhangping (Yongfu)	蟻
	Datian	蟻
	Chaozhou	蟻
	Shantou	蟻
	Shantou (Chenghai)	蟻
	Jieyang	蟻, 狗蟻
	Haifeng	狗蟻
	Bangkok (Teochew)	溝蟻
	Johor Bahru (Teochew)	蟻
	Singapore (Teochew)	蟻
	Pontianak (Teochew)	蟻
	Leizhou	蟻
	Wenchang	蟻
	Haikou	蟻
	Singapore (Hainanese)	蟻
Puxian Min	Putian	蟻婆
	Putian (Donghai, Chengxiang)	蟻婆
	Putian (Jiangkou, Hanjiang)	蟻婆
	Putian (Nanri, Xiuyu)	蟻婆
	Xianyou	蟻, 蟻婆, 蟻公
	Xianyou (Fengting)	蟻, 蟻婆
	Xianyou (Youyang)	蟻, 蟻婆
	Fuding (Aoyao)	蟻
Central Min	Yong'an	蟻
Zhongshan Min	Zhongshan (Sanxiang)	蟻
Southern Pinghua	Nanning (Tingzi)	螞蟻
Shehua	Fu'an	黃蟻
	Fuding	黃蟻
	Luoyuan	黃蟻
	Sanming	蟻
	Shunchang	蟻
	Hua'an	蟻
	Guixi (Zhangping)	蟻
	Cangnan	黃蟻
	Jingning (Hexi)	蟻
	Lishui	蟻
	Longyou	蟻
	Chaozhou	蟻
	Fengshun	蟻仔
Wu	Shanghai	螞蟻
	Shanghai (Songjiang)	螞蟻
	Shanghai (Jiading)	螞蟻
	Shanghai (Chongming)	螞蟻
	Suzhou	螞蟻
	Wuxi	螞蟻
	Danyang	螞蟻
	Hangzhou	螞蟻
	Ningbo	螞粉, 螞轟, 螞蟻
	Wenzhou	火蟻
	Jinhua	戽我, 螞蟻
Xiang	Changsha	螞蟻子, 螞蟻
	Loudi	螞蟻子, 螞蟻
	Shuangfeng	螞蟻子
	Hengyang	螞蟻子

Compounds

• 先驅螻蟻 / 先驱蝼蚁
• 兵蟻 / 兵蚁 (bīngyǐ)
• 如蟻附羶 / 如蚁附羶
• 工蟻 / 工蚁 (gōngyǐ)
• 排蟻陣 / 排蚁阵
• 浮蟻 / 浮蚁
• 淥蟻 / 渌蚁
• 熊蟻 / 熊蚁
• 白螞蟻 / 白蚂蚁 (báimǎyǐ)
• 白蟻 / 白蚁 (báiyǐ)
• 矛蟻 / 矛蚁 (máoyǐ)
• 綠蟻 / 绿蚁
• 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 (mǎyǐshàngshù)
• 螞蟻窩 / 蚂蚁窝 (mǎyǐwō)
• 螞蟻緣槐 / 蚂蚁缘槐
• 螻蟻 / 蝼蚁 (lóuyǐ)
• 螻蟻得志 / 蝼蚁得志
• 蟲蟲蟻蟻 / 虫虫蚁蚁
• 蟲蟻 / 虫蚁 (chóngyǐ)
• 蟻動 / 蚁动
• 蟻合 / 蚁合
• 蟻垤 / 蚁垤 (yǐdié)
• 蟻夢 / 蚁梦
• 蟻寇 / 蚁寇
• 蟻封 / 蚁封
• 蟻慕 / 蚁慕
• 蟻民 / 蚁民 (yǐmín)
• 蟻潰 / 蚁溃
• 蟻獅 / 蚁狮
• 蟻穴 / 蚁穴 (yǐxué)
• 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 (yǐquán)
• 蟻附 / 蚁附
• 蟻集 / 蚁集
• 蟻鼻錢 / 蚁鼻钱
• 蠶蟻 / 蚕蚁 (cányǐ)
• 隄潰蟻孔 / 隄溃蚁孔
• 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

(Hyōgai kanji)

1. ant

Readings

• Go-on: ぎ (gi)
• Kan-on: ぎ (gi)
• Kun: あり (ari, 蟻)、ありのこ (arinoko, 蟻)

Alternative forms

• 螘 (rare)

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
蟻
あり Hyōgai
kun'yomi

Unknown. From Old Japanese, but the 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

• (Tokyo) あり [àrí] (Heiban – [0])
• IPA^(key): [a̠ɾʲi]

Noun

蟻(あり) or 蟻(アリ) • (ari) 

1. ant

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 アリ.

Idioms

Idioms

• 蟻(あり)の這(は)い出(で)る隙間(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(あり)の熊野参(くまのまい)り (ari no Kumano-mairi), 蟻(あり)の伊勢参(いせまい)り (ari no Ise-mairi), 蟻(あり)の百度参(ひゃくどまい)り (ari no hyakudo-mairi), 蟻(あり)の堂参(どうまい)り (ari no dō-mairi), 蟻(あり)の物参(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(あり)の一穴(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(あり)の穴(あな)から堤(つつみ)も崩(くず)れる (ari no ana kara tsutsumi mo kuzureru), 蟻(あり)の穴(あな)より堤(つつみ)の崩(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(あり)の甘(あま)きにつく如(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(あり)の思(おも)いも天(てん)に届(とど)く (ari no omoi mo ten ni todoku), 蟻(あり)の思(おも)いも天(てん)に昇(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(あり)の塔(とう)を組(く)む如(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

Derived terms

• 蟻(あり)の塔(とう) (ari no tō): an “ant tower” → an anthill
• 蟻塚(ありづか) (arizuka): an anthill
• 蟻(あり)の塔草(とうぐさ) (ari no tō-gusa): a kind of seaberry, Haloragis micrantha
• 蟻(あり)の子(こ) (ari no ko): an ant, particularly one without wings; an ant egg or larva

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
蟻
ぎ Hyōgai
on'yomi

From Middle Chinese 蟻 (MC ngjeX). Compare modern Cantonese reading ngai⁵.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡʲi]

Affix

蟻(ぎ) • (gi) 

1. ant

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

Derived terms

• 蟻(ぎ)群(ぐん) (gigun): a group of ants
• 蟻(ぎ)径(けい) (gikei): a narrow road or path (from the way that ants tend to travel in single file)
• 蟻(ぎ)穴(けつ) (giketsu): an anthill, a hole dug by ants; a very small fault or mistake
• 蟻(ぎ)蚕(さん) (gisan): a silkworm that has just hatched from its egg (from the superficial similarity to an ant)
• 蟻(ぎ)酸(さん) (gisan): formic acid
• 蟻(ぎ)酸(さん)塩(えん) (gisan'en): formate
• 蟻(ぎ)集(しゅう), 蟻(ぎ)聚(しゅう) (gishū): a large grouping, as of many ants
• 蟻(ぎ)走(そう)感(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(ぎ)封(ほう) (gihō): an anthill
• 蟻(ぎ)量(りょう) (giryō): “ant-weight”: the weight of a silkworm just after hatching from its egg (see 蟻(ぎ)蚕(さん) above)
• 蟻(ぎ)垤(てつ) (gitetsu): an anthill

Etymology 3

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

Alternative spelling
蟻の子

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

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a̠ɾʲino̞ko̞]

Noun

蟻(ありのこ) • (arinoko) 

1. (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

     Ant. The Japanese reading above is ka; the other reading in Chinese is gi; the Japanese reading for these characters is ari-no-ko.

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.

Kikai

Kanji

蟻

(Hyōgai kanji)

Readings

• Kun: あーにー (ānī, 蟻)、あに (ani, 蟻)、あい (ai, 蟻)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 蟻 (ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /(ˀ)aːnʲiː/

Noun

蟻(あーにー) (ānī) 

1. ant

Korean

Etymology

From Middle Chinese 蟻 (MC ngjeX).

Historical Readings
Dongguk Jeongun Reading
Dongguk Jeongun, 1448	ᅌᅴᆼ〯 (Yale: ngǔy)
Middle Korean
Text	Eumhun
	Gloss (hun)	Reading
Hunmong Jahoe, 1527[1]	가야미〮 (Yale: kàyàmí)	의〯 (Yale: ǔy)

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [ɰi]
• Phonetic hangul: [의]

Hanja

Wikisource

蟻 (eumhun 개미 의 (gaemi ui))

1. hanja form^? of 의 (“ant”)

Compounds

Compounds

• 누의 (螻蟻, nuui)
• 의혈 (蟻穴, uihyeol)
• 부의 (浮蟻, buui)
• 의부 (蟻附, uibu)
• 의집 (蟻集, uijip)
• 화의 (火蟻, hwaui)

References

• 국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전／電子字典. [2]

Northern Amami Ōshima

Kanji

蟻

(Hyōgai kanji)

Readings

• Kun: あみ (ami, 蟻)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 蟻 (ari, “ant”).

Noun

蟻(あみ) (ami) 

1. ant

Okinawan

Kanji

蟻

(Hyōgai kanji)

Readings

• Kun: あい (ai, 蟻)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 蟻 (ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʔai/

Noun

蟻(あい) (ai) 

1. ant

Compounds

• 蟻(あい)子(こー) (aikō, “ant”)

Okinoerabu

Kanji

蟻

(Hyōgai kanji)

Readings

• Kun: あに (ani, 蟻)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 蟻 (ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˀani/

Noun

蟻(あに) (ani) 

1. ant

Southern Amami Ōshima

Kanji

蟻

(Hyōgai kanji)

Readings

• Kun: あみ (ami, 蟻)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 蟻 (ari, “ant”).

Noun

蟻(あみ) (ami) 

1. ant

Vietnamese

Han character

蟻: Hán Nôm readings: nghĩ, nghị

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

Yonaguni

Kanji

蟻

(Hyōgai kanji)

Readings

• Kun: あや (aya, 蟻)

Etymology

Cognate with Japanese 蟻 (ari, “ant”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˀaja/

Noun

蟻(あや) (aya) 

1. ant