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ヤマイタチ (やまいたち) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Meanings 1
noun
stoat ; ermine ; short-tailed weasel
usually written using kana alone
Refers to the animal Mustela erminea. In Japanese, the name literally means 'mountain weasel'. Often written in katakana as ヤマイタチ.
See also: オコジョ
Written forms ヤマイタチ Usage 100%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common for this animal name; usually written in kana.
山やま いたち
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; rarely used.
山やま 鼬いたち
Full kanji spelling; very rare and may not be recognized by many readers.
北ほっ
海かい
道どう
で
ヤマイタチ
を
見み
た
こと
が
あり
ます
か
？
Have you ever seen a stoat in Hokkaido?
Similar words オコジョ オコジョ is another common name for the stoat, especially in its white winter coat. ヤマイタチ is a more general term and can refer to the animal regardless of season.
イタチ イタチ is the general term for weasel. ヤマイタチ specifically refers to the stoat or short-tailed weasel, a particular species.
Etymology Compound of 山 (yama, 'mountain') and イタチ (itachi, 'weasel'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely describes the animal's habitat.
