コメツキムシ

also: ぬかずきむし

コ

メ

ツ

キ

ム

シ

Meanings

noun

click beetle; skipjack

usually written using kana alone

Common name for beetles of the family Elateridae, known for their ability to snap and jump when placed on their backs.

庭にわでコメツキムシを見みつけた。
I found a click beetle in the garden.
コメツキムシは仰あお向むけにすると跳はねる。
Click beetles jump when placed on their backs.

See all 4 example sentences ›

Kanji

米rice, USA, metre
搗pound, husk
虫insect, bug, temper
叩strike, beat, kow tow
頭head, counter for large animals
額forehead, tablet, plaque
突stab, protruding, thrust

Written forms

こめつきむし
Hiragana spelling, also used.
米こめ搗つき虫むし
Kanji form using 搗 (to pound); rarely used.
米こめ搗つき虫むし
Kanji form with okurigana; rarely used.
叩頭虫
- ぬかずきむし
  Alternate kanji form with reading ぬかずきむし; rarely used.
- こめつきむし
- ぬかつきむし
額突虫
- ぬかずきむし
  Alternate kanji form with reading ぬかずきむし; rarely used.
- こめつきむし
- ぬかつきむし
ぬかずきむし
ぬかつきむし

Etymology

The name コメツキムシ (米搗虫) literally means 'rice-pounding insect', from the motion resembling the traditional rice-pounding action. The alternate reading ぬかずきむし (額突虫) refers to 'forehead-thrusting insect', also describing the same behavior.