noun
gecko; house lizard
Common small lizard often seen on walls and ceilings in Japanese homes. The name ヤモリ (家守) literally means 'house protector' because it was believed to guard homes.
夜になると、壁にヤモリが現れる。
At night, a gecko appears on the wall.
ヤモリは害虫を食べてくれる。
Geckos eat harmful insects for us.
Kanji spelling; rarely used in modern Japanese. The reading しゅきゅう is also possible for this form but is very rare.
Alternate kanji spelling; rarely used.
イモリ is a newt (amphibian), while ヤモリ is a gecko (reptile). They are often confused because of similar names and both being small creatures found near houses.
From 家守 (yamori), literally 'house protector', from the belief that geckos guard homes. The reading やもり is a sound shift from いえもり (iemori).