田た鼠ねずみ

noun

black rat; roof rat

Refers specifically to Rattus rattus, the black rat or roof rat. The term is not common in everyday conversation; more often encountered in biological or agricultural contexts. Compare with 熊鼠 (くまねずみ), which can also refer to the black rat.

See also: クマネズミ (くまねずみ)

• 田た鼠ねずみは家か屋おくの天てん井じょう裏うらに住すみ着つくことがある。

  Black rats sometimes take up residence in the attics of houses.

noun

field mouse

Refers to mice found in fields, likely Apodemus speciosus or similar species. The term is not common in everyday language; 野鼠 (のねずみ) is a more standard word for field mouse. This sense may be considered archaic or dialectal.

See also: 野ねずみ (のねずみ)

• 昔むかしの農のう家かでは、田た鼠ねずみが収しゅう穫かく物ぶつを荒あらすことがあった。

  In old farmhouses, field mice would sometimes damage the harvest.