蛍

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 蛍(ほたる) names the firefly, an insect that gives off light.
• Basic usage: It describes fireflies by a river on a summer night or efforts to protect their habitat.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The different reading in 蛍光
  • In 蛍光(けいこう), fluorescence, 蛍 is read けい. The standalone insect name in this entry is read ほたる.