in·sect
noun/ˈɪnsekt/
/ˈɪnsekt/
- any small creature with six legs and a body divided into three parts. Insects usually also have wings. Ants, bees and flies are all insects.
enlarge image昆虫 - Most birds spend most of the day eating insects.
大多数鸟类一天的大部分时间都在吃昆虫。 - There are about 30 million species of insects in the world.
世界上大约有 3000 万种昆虫。 - insect species
昆虫种类 - insect repellent (= a chemical that keeps insects away)
驱虫剂 - an insect bite
昆虫咬伤 - The pesticide is lethal to all insect life.
这种杀虫剂可以杀死所有昆虫。 - methods to ensure the plants are as free of disease and insect pests as possible
确保植物尽可能免受病虫害的方法
Collocations The living worldThe living worldAnimalssee also stick insect Insect is often used to refer to other small creatures, for example spiders, although this is not correct scientific language.- animals mate/breed/reproduce/feed (on something)
- fish/amphibians swim/spawn (= lay eggs)
- birds fly/migrate/nest/sing
- insects crawl/fly/bite/sting
- insects/bees/locusts swarm
- bees collect/gather nectar/pollen
- spiders spin/weave a web
- snakes/lizards shed their skins
- bears/hedgehogs/frogs hibernate
- insect larvae grow/develop/pupate
- an egg/a chick/a larva hatches
- attract/find/choose a mate
- produce/release eggs/sperm
- lay/fertilize/incubate/hatch eggs
- inhabit a forest/a reef/the coast
- mark/enter/defend (a) territory
- stalk/hunt/capture/catch/kill prey
- trees/plants grow/bloom/blossom/flower
- a seed germinates/sprouts
- leaves/buds/roots/shoots appear/develop/form
- flower buds swell/open
- a fungus grows/spreads/colonizes something
- pollinate/fertilize a flower/plant
- produce/release/spread/disperse pollen/seeds/spores
- produce/bear fruit
- develop/grow/form roots/shoots/leaves
- provide/supply/absorb/extract/release nutrients
- perform/increase/reduce photosynthesis
- bacteria/microbes/viruses grow/spread/multiply
- bacteria/microbes live/thrive in/on something
- bacteria/microbes/viruses evolve/colonize something/cause disease
- bacteria break something down/convert something (into something)
- a virus enters/invades something/the body
- a virus mutates/evolves/replicates (itself)
- be infected with/contaminated with/exposed to a new strain of a virus/drug-resistant bacteria
- contain/carry/harbour bacteria/a virus
- kill/destroy/eliminate harmful/deadly bacteria
Extra ExamplesTopics Insects, worms, etc.a2- An insect was buzzing around the room.
一只昆虫在房间里嗡嗡地飞来飞去。 - Gardeners welcome birds as they control insect pests.
园丁很欢迎鸟类，因为可以控制虫灾。 - Insects had bored deep into the wood.
虫子在木头上钻了很深的洞。 - Social insects, such as ants, live in large colonies.
蚂蚁之类的群居昆虫大量聚居在一起。 - The wood should be treated against insect attack.
这块木头应该进行防虫处理。 - Unfortunately, pesticides kill off beneficial insects as well as harmful ones.
不幸的是，杀虫剂不仅杀灭害虫还会杀死益虫。 - Wasps are the master builders of the insect world.
黄蜂是昆虫界的建筑大师。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- flying
- winged
- aquatic
- …
- swarm
- repel
- control
- kill
- …
- buzz
- fly
- crawl
- …
- attack
- infestation
- bite
- …
Word Originearly 17th cent. (originally denoting any small cold-blooded creature with a segmented body): from Latin (animal) insectum ‘segmented (animal)’ (translating Greek zōion entomon), from insecare ‘cut up or into’, from in- ‘into’ + secare ‘to cut’. - Most birds spend most of the day eating insects.