鼬
weasel, skunk, ermine
Readings
On'yomi
- ユウ
- ユ
Kun'yomi
- いたち
Meaning
鼬 centers on small, slender carnivorous mammals known for their musky odor: weasels, skunks, and ermines. The meanings are closely related animals within the same broad family.
Most common words using 鼬
- 鼬いたち
weasel (esp. the Japanese weasel, Mustela itatsi)
- 日本鼬にほんいたち
Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi)
- 朝鮮鼬ちょうせんいたち
Korean yellow weasel (Mustela sibirica coreana)
- 毛長鼬けながいたち
polecat (Mustela putorius); ferret; fitch
- 猫鼬ねこいたち
mongoose
- 鎌鼬かまいたち
cut in the skin caused by a vacuum formed by a whirlwind
- 鎧鼬魚よろいいたちうお
snubnose brotula; armoured cusk (Hoplobrotula armata)
- 鼬穴熊いたちあなぐま
ferret badger (esp. the Chinese ferret-badger, Melogale moschata)
- 鼬萩いたちはぎ
false indigo (Amorpha fruticosa); bastard indigo; leadwort
- 鼬魚いたちうお
goatsbeard brotula (species of ophidiiform fish, Brotula multibarbata)
- 鼬鮫いたちざめ
tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)
Study
Etymology
鼬 combines 鼠 (rat/mouse) with 由, which likely contributes the sound. The character denotes a weasel-like animal, a member of the rodent-like mustelid family.
Meaning mnemonic
The left side 鼠 suggests a rodent-like creature, and the right side 由 (reason) hints at the reason for its smell: a weasel or skunk. Picture a mouse-like animal with a distinctive musky reason for its reputation.
Reading mnemonic
For ユウ, imagine a weasel letting out a long 'yuuu' sound as it scurries away: yuuu -> ユウ.