noun
stick insect; walking stick; leaf insect
Refers to any insect of the order Phasmatodea, including both stick insects and leaf insects. In everyday Japanese, ナナフシ typically brings to mind the long, thin stick-like species.
庭でナナフシを見つけた。
I found a stick insect in the garden.
ナナフシは木の枝に擬態する。
Stick insects mimic tree branches.
The name ナナフシ is said to come from 七節 (ななふし, 'seven joints'), referring to the segmented body of the insect. The exact origin is uncertain, but the kanji spelling reflects this folk etymology.