螟蛉之子

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Chinese

green rice caterpillar; caterpillar of many species, such as the corn earworm or the small white butterfly 's; him/her/it; this
child; son; (noun suffix)
child; son; (noun suffix); small thing; seed; egg; 1st earthly branch; 11 p.m.–1 a.m., midnight
 
trad. (螟蛉之子) 螟蛉 之 子
simp. #(螟蛉之子) 螟蛉 之 子

Etymology

From the Classic of Poetry, poem 196 (《詩經·小雅·小宛》):

螟蛉有子，蜾蠃負之。
教誨爾子，式穀似之。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, trad.]
螟蛉有子，蜾蠃负之。
教诲尔子，式谷似之。 [Pre-Classical Chinese, simp.]
From: The Classic of Poetry, c. 11th – 7th centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
Mínglíng yǒu zǐ, guǒluǒ fù zhī.
Jiàohuì ěr zǐ, shì gǔ sì zhī.
The mulberry insect has young ones, And the sphex carries them away.
Teach and train your sons, And they will become good as you are.

See 螟蛉 (mínglíng) for more.

Pronunciation

Idiom

螟蛉之子

  1. (figurative) adopted son; foster child
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