A type of insect with two pairs of large, colorful wings and a long mouthparts used to drink nectar; they grow from eggs to larvae (caterpillars), then to pupae before becoming adults.

a knot tied with two loops and two ends to look like a butterfly; bow

The butterfly stroke in swimming; a competitive swimming event using this stroke

(literary) the wings of a butterfly

(same as [[蝴蝶|蝴蝶|hu2 die2]]) butterfly; an insect with broad wings and a thin body

A type of large, colorful butterfly with patterned wings and tail-like extensions on the hind wings; its larvae feed on citrus and other leaves.

literally meaning to attract bees and butterflies; used to describe attracting the attention of the opposite sex through flirtatious behavior or dressing provocatively

A type of butterfly in the Pieridae family, typically characterized by white, yellow, or orange wings with black markings; the larvae are common agricultural pests that feed on leafy vegetables.

the butterfly-shaped bone at the base of the skull behind the eyes and at the front of the temples

lascivious or unfaithful men who pursue women; womanizers

A perennial herb (Iris japonica or Iris tectorum) with blue or white flowers resembling butterflies, the whole plant of which is used in traditional medicine

nymphalid; any butterfly of the family Nymphalidae, characterized by having reduced front legs; often brightly colored and includes species whose larvae are crop pests

The story from the "On the Equality of Things" chapter in the book [[庄子|莊子|zhuang1 zi5]] of Zhuangzi dreaming he was a butterfly and waking to wonder if he was a man dreaming of a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming of a man; used to describe the difficulty in distinguishing reality from illusion or the fleeting, dreamlike nature of life.

A small or medium-sized butterfly with grayish-white wings and black spots; its larva is a major vegetable pest.

Brownish spots on the skin caused by pigment deposition, often appearing in patches shaped like a butterfly on the face.

The pupal stage of a butterfly as it transitions from a larva into an adult; typically encased in a protective shell and remaining inactive for a period of time

the family of swallowtail butterflies within the order Lepidoptera

nymphalid butterfly, characterized by reduced front legs that are not used for walking

(literary) To dream of being a butterfly; an allusion to a story in the [[庄子|莊子|zhuang1 zi3]] where the philosopher [[庄周|莊周|zhuang1 zhou1]] dreams of becoming a butterfly and awakes unsure if he is a man who dreamed of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being a man; used as a metaphor for the illusory and fleeting nature of human life

a type of European flatfish; plaice

ornamental plant of the iris family with sword-shaped leaves and tall spikes of funnel-shaped flowers

bees and butterflies flying among flowers in the spring

swallowtail butterfly; any butterfly of the family Papilionidae

Small or medium-sized butterfly with white wings and black spots; its larvae, known as cabbage worms, are major pests of cruciferous vegetables like cabbage and bok choy

to emerge strong after a period of struggle; to reach a better place after enduring a difficult transition

cabbage butterfly (Pieris rapae), a common white butterfly whose larvae feed on cruciferous plants

small white butterfly whose larvae feed on cabbage and related plants

common name for the iris plant, especially those with purple or blue flowers

common tiger butterfly (Danaus genutia)

(literary) butterfly

Puccini opera about a tragic romance between a Japanese woman and an American naval officer

bowknot or butterfly knot

butterfly effect; the concept in chaos theory where a small change in one state of a system can result in large differences in a later state

papillon; a breed of small lapdog characterized by large, upright ears that resemble the wings of a butterfly

a Chinese hammered dulcimer, also known as the [[扬琴|揚琴|yang2 qin2]]

A style of bookbinding for ancient Chinese books, popular during the Song Dynasty, where printed pages are folded in half with the text facing inward and the folded edges glued together; the book opens like the wings of a butterfly.

crispy butterfly-shaped pastry; mille-feuille cookies; short-crust pastry

hinge; specifically a butterfly hinge used in carpentry and cabinet making

a necktie tied in the shape of a bow with two loops; bow tie

A bone located at the front and lower part of the skull, named for its butterfly-like shape.

(bound form) phalaenopsis; the moth orchid genus of flowers

(Taiwan) (loanword) decoupage; the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it in combination with special paint effects and gold leaf

The butterfly style of swimming; also refers to the competitive event using this stroke.

a necktie tied in the shape of a bow

The classic story from the Zhuangzi of Zhuang Zhou dreaming he was a butterfly; used to describe a life that feels like a dream or the blurred line between reality and illusion.

sphenoidal sinus; one of the paired sinuses located within the body of the sphenoid bone

the group of insects consisting of butterflies; a suborder or superfamily within the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from moths

literary refers to facial powder and yellow forehead pigment used by women in ancient times; feminine adornment