Shen Collection, Middle Volume. Radical: Insect (chóng). Kangxi stroke count: 15. Page 1089, Entry 23.
Pronounced yuan.
Erya: Explaining Insects (Erya): The yuan is a type of locust nymph. Commentary: These are the larvae of locusts that have not yet grown wings.
Spring and Autumn Annals: Thirteenth Year of Duke Xuan (Chunqiu): In the winter, yuan insects appeared. Commentary: Because they were born in winter, they died from the extreme cold and did not develop into mature locusts.
Liu Xin states: They are the larvae of ants.
Garden of Stories (Shuoyuan): Wood-boring insects and yuan insects can cause beams and pillars to collapse.
Also pronounced yuan (falling tone). The meaning is the same.
Also pronounced xuan. The same as the variant form (xuan). Refers to small insects found in wells.