noun
spider; spider silk
Archaic word for 'spider' or 'spider silk'. In modern Japanese, 蜘蛛 (くも) is used for the animal and 蜘蛛の糸 for the silk. This term appears mainly in classical literature or poetry.
古い和歌に「細蟹」が蜘蛛の意味で詠まれている。
In old waka poems, 細蟹 is used to mean 'spider'.
「ささがにの糸」という表現が古典に見られる。
The expression ささがにの糸 (spider's thread) appears in classical texts.
Modern standard word for 'spider'. 細蟹 is its archaic equivalent.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 細蟹 literally mean 'thin crab', possibly a poetic or euphemistic name for a spider in old Japanese.