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善狐 (ぜんこ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

善ぜん狐こ

Meanings

1

noun

benevolent fox; good fox

A fox spirit in Japanese mythology that is considered kind and helpful, in contrast to the more common trickster or malevolent foxes.

善ぜん狐こは人ひとを助たすけると伝つたえられている。
Benevolent foxes are said to help people.
この神じん社じゃでは善ぜん狐こが祀まつられている。
A benevolent fox is enshrined at this shrine.

Kanji

善virtuous, good, goodness
狐fox

Similar words

妖よう狐こ
妖狐 refers to a bewitching or malevolent fox spirit, while 善狐 specifically denotes a benevolent one.
狐きつね
狐 is the general term for fox, which in folklore can be either good or bad; 善狐 explicitly marks the fox as good.

Etymology

Compound of 善 (zen, 'good') and 狐 (ko, 'fox'). The term is used in Japanese folklore to distinguish helpful fox spirits from the more common trickster or malevolent types.