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ミルクイガイ (みるくいがい) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

ミルクイガイ

み

る

く

い

が

い

Meanings

1

noun

mirugai clam; gaper clam (Tresus keenae)

usually written using kana alone

A species of large saltwater clam found in Japan; the name is often written in katakana.

See also: 海松食

ミルクイガイは大おおきな二に枚まい貝がいで、食しょく用ようになる。
The mirugai clam is a large bivalve and is edible.

市いち場ばで新しん鮮せんなミルクイガイを見みつけた。

I found fresh mirugai clams at the market.

Written forms

ミルクイガイ
kana-only spelling
Common katakana spelling; usually written in kana.
海松みる食くい貝がい
Rare kanji spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
水松食貝みるくいがい
Rare kanji spelling; the word is usually written in kana.

Kanji

海sea, ocean
松pine tree
食eat, food
貝shellfish
水water

Similar words

海松みる食くい
海松食 (みるくい) is an older or abbreviated name for the same clam; ミルクイガイ is the fuller, more common modern term.

Etymology

The name is a compound of 海松 (みる, a type of seaweed) + 食い (くい, eating) + 貝 (がい, shellfish), literally 'shellfish that eats miru seaweed'. The exact derivation is uncertain, but the name likely refers to the clam's habitat or diet.