noun
Rare term for the North American rodent Marmota monax. Usually referred to as ウッドチャック in modern Japanese.
See also: ウッドチャック
アメリカでは、ヤマネズミが冬眠から覚めると春が来ると言われている。
In America, it is said that spring comes when the groundhog wakes from hibernation.
noun
Japanese dormouse
Rare term for the Japanese dormouse (Glirulus japonicus), a small nocturnal rodent native to Japan. More commonly called ヤマネ.
See also: ヤマネ
ヤマネズミは夜行性で、木の上で生活する小さな哺乳類だ。
The Japanese dormouse is a small nocturnal mammal that lives in trees.
Compound of 山 (yama, 'mountain') and 鼠 (nezumi, 'mouse/rat'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely refers to a rodent found in mountainous areas.