hóng

rainbow

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Components
虫 meaning component

  Meaning component

chóng

  

bug, insect

工 sound component

  Sound component

gōng

  

work

Evolution

虹 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
虹 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
虹 Clerical script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
虹 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

 

hóng

rainbow

Most common words with 虹
Freq.
Word
Meaning

彩虹

rainbow

rainbow

长虹

Changhong (brand)

虹膜

iris (of an eye)

霓虹灯

neon lamp (loanword)