I'm wondering what type of kanji 蝶 is (like if it's a pictogram, ideogram,
etc) and if anyone knows the history behind the kanji itself. I really like
this kanji, but there's not much about it from where I've been looking.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-07T05:58:03.930
96526
2022-10-08T15:22:25.687
2022-10-07T17:46:16.453
45272
54647
question
kanji
Kanji type and history behind kanji 蝶
[「[蝶]{チョウ}」](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%9D%B6#Readings) ( _butterfly_
) is a [phono-
semantic](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_character_classification#Phono-
semantic_compound_characters) compound, comprised of semantic
[「[虫]{まむし}」](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%99%BA#Alternative_forms) (
_poisonous snake_ > _worm, insect_ ) and phonetic
[「[枼]{ヨウ}」](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%9E%BC#Readings):

  * 「虫」 appears here as a semantic classification component for snakes, worms, insects, and other non-fish slimy or wet animals (e.g. 「蛙」 _frog_ and 「蟹」 _crab_ );
  * 「枼」 is the original form of [「[葉]{ヨウ}」](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E8%91%89#Readings), and appears as a phonetic hint in 「蝶」, 「葉」, and [some other characters](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E6%9E%BC#Derived_characters) (most of which aren't used in modern Japanese).
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-07T23:54:35.607
96534
2022-10-07T23:54:35.607
26510
96526
answer