noun
Wani (place name)
A place name, possibly referring to a location in ancient Japan or a surname. Rare in modern usage.
和邇という地名は古い記録に残っている。
The place name Wani remains in old records.
noun
wani (mythological sea monster)
A legendary sea creature from Japanese mythology, often described as a dragon-like or shark-like being. Not to be confused with modern 鰐 (crocodile/alligator).
古事記には、海神の娘が和邇に乗って現れる場面がある。
In the Kojiki, there is a scene where the sea god's daughter appears riding a wani.
Modern 鰐 (わに) means 'crocodile' or 'alligator', a real animal. The mythological 和邇 is a distinct legendary creature.
The origin of the word is uncertain. It appears in ancient texts as a mythological sea creature, and the kanji 和邇 are used phonetically. The connection to modern 鰐 (crocodile) is unclear.