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ジリス (じりす) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ジリス

じ

り

す

Meanings

1

noun

ground squirrel

usually written using kana alone

Refers to ground squirrels, especially those found in North America or Africa. Often used in zoological contexts.

北きたアメリカの草そう原げんにはジリスがたくさんいる。
There are many ground squirrels in the grasslands of North America.
ジリスは地じ面めんに穴あなを掘ほって巣すを作つくる。
Ground squirrels dig holes in the ground to make their nests.

Written forms

ジリス
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is standard for this animal name; usually written in kana.
地じ栗鼠りす
Kanji spelling is rare and not commonly used; the word is usually written in kana.

Kanji

地ground, earth
栗chestnut
鼠

rat, mouse, dark gray

Similar words

リス
リス is the general term for squirrel, while ジリス specifically refers to ground squirrels.
シマリス
シマリス is a chipmunk, a type of small ground squirrel with stripes, but ジリス is a broader term for ground squirrels.

Etymology

Compound of 地 (ji, 'ground') and 栗鼠 (risu, 'squirrel'). The reading じりす is a straightforward combination, and the katakana spelling ジリス is standard for this animal name.