虻: horsefly

horsefly; gadfly

9 strokesNames & literary · More literary kanji (準1級 range)in 2 words here

Readings

ボウ

Kun

あぶ

Usually あぶ. The proverb 虻蜂取らず (catching neither horsefly nor bee) means chasing two goals and getting neither.

虻あぶhorsefly; gadfly

牛虻うしあぶhorsefly

花虻はなあぶhover fly

虻蜂取らずあぶはちとらずchasing two goals and getting neither

虻あぶに刺さされて、足あしが赤あかくはれた。

I was stung by a horsefly and my leg swelled up red.

花虻はなあぶが、菜の花なのはなの上うえをぶんぶん飛とんでいる。

A hover fly is buzzing around over the rapeseed flowers.

あれもこれもと欲よくばると、虻蜂取あぶはちとらずになるよ。

If you get greedy and go after this and that, you'll end up with nothing.