The Meaning of the Idiom "Dragonfly Skimming the Water" and the Purpose of a Dragonfly Dipping Its Tail in the Water

Dragonflies are typical hemimetabolous insects: in the stage of transforming from nymph to adult, they do not go through the process of forming a pupa. A dragonfly flies over the water surface, its tail tip close to the water, dipping the water little by little with its tail tip, which is what is commonly called “dragonfly skimming the water.” So what does dragonfly skimming the water mean? What is its purpose?

Dragonflies are invertebrates of the phylum Arthropoda, class Insecta, subclass Pterygota, order Odonata, suborder Anisoptera, divided into the families Libellulidae and Aeshnidae.

They are generally rather large in body size, with long and narrow wings that are membranous, and the reticulate wing veins are extremely clear. Their vision is extremely keen, with 3 simple eyes (ocelli); 1 pair of antennae, thin and rather short; and chewing mouthparts. The abdomen is slender, flattened or cylindrical, with anal appendages at the end. The legs are thin and weak, with hooked spines, and can catch pests while flying in the air. The larvae (nymphs) develop in water, breathing in water with rectal tracheal gills. They generally must molt more than 11 times, taking 2 years or more before they crawl out of the water along aquatic plants, and then after a final molt emerge as adults. The nymphs in water can prey on mosquito larvae (wrigglers) or other small animals, and sometimes they even cannibalize their own kind. Adults generally fly around ponds or rivers, preying on flying insects. Besides being able to prey in large numbers on mosquitoes, flies and other insects harmful to humans, some can also prey on butterflies, moths and bees, so they are truly beneficial insects. More than 5,000 species of dragonflies are known.

The meaning of dragonfly skimming the water

“Dragonfly skimming the water” refers to the action of a dragonfly lightly touching the water surface with its tail as it flies over it; it is a metaphor for doing things superficially and not going deep, and it also describes a light kiss. Both “dragonfly skimming the water” and “looking at flowers while riding a horse” (a fleeting glance) can be used as metaphors for work or experiencing life in a very shallow way, and they are often interchangeable. However, the emphasis of the former is on “skimming” (dian), referring to doing things “with a fleeting pass,” “not going deep and not persisting,” while “looking at flowers while riding a horse” emphasizes “looking.”

What is the purpose of dragonfly skimming the water?

Dragonfly skimming the water is simply a dragonfly laying eggs, with the eggs laid directly into the water or on aquatic plants. The nymphs that hatch from the eggs are called water nymphs (naiads). The nymph often extends its hooked, claw-bearing lower lip to catch small animals in the water for food. The nymph is a swimming expert; it uses jet propulsion, and as soon as its abdomen contracts, water is squirted backward and the body naturally shoots forward at extremely high speed. It breathes with rectal tracheal gills. When the nymph grows up, it climbs onto a branch or stone protruding from the water and emerges into an adult dragonfly, like a flying dragon in the air.

The literary allusion of dragonfly skimming the water

In the reign of Emperor Suzong of Tang, Li Heng, Du Fu became an eighth-rank remonstrance official, “Left Reminder.” Because he spoke up for a minister who should not have been punished, he was alienated by Li Heng. He was very depressed and went to the edge of the Qujiang River to write poems and relieve his feelings. In one of his “Two Poems on the Qujiang River,” he wrote: “Through the flowers the butterflies are seen deep within, skimming the water the dragonflies fly slowly. I send word that spring light flows on together; for the moment let us enjoy it and not go against each other.”