クサガメ

ク

サ

ガ

メ

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

noun

Chinese pond turtle; Reeves' turtle

usually written using kana alone

A species of turtle native to East Asia, commonly kept as a pet. The name literally means 'stink turtle' due to the odor it can emit.

クサガメは日本にほんでよく見みられるカメの一いっ種しゅです。
The Chinese pond turtle is a type of turtle commonly seen in Japan.
ペットショップで小ちいさなクサガメを買かった。
I bought a small Reeves' turtle at the pet shop.

noun

stink bug; shield bug

Refers to insects of the family Pentatomidae, known for the foul odor they release when threatened. This sense is less common than the turtle sense and is usually written in kana or with the kanji 椿象.

Kanji

臭stinking, ill-smelling, suspicious looking
亀tortoise, turtle
草grass, weeds, herbs

Related words

椿象かめむし
椿象 (かめむし) is the standard kanji term for stink bug, while クサガメ is a colloquial name that can also refer to the turtle.
カメムシ
カメムシ is the common katakana spelling for stink bug, more widely used than クサガメ for the insect sense.

Written forms

クサガメUsage88%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common and avoids confusion with the kanji forms, which are rare and may be misread.
草くさ亀がめUsage13%
Alternate kanji spelling for the turtle sense, literally 'grass turtle'. Even rarer than 臭亀.
くさがめ
Hiragana spelling is also used, especially in informal contexts.
臭くさ亀がめ
Kanji spelling for the turtle sense, literally 'stink turtle'. Rarely used; the kana form is preferred.

Etymology

The name クサガメ literally means 'stink turtle' (臭い亀), from the musky odor the turtle can produce. The insect sense is an extension of this name due to the similar defensive odor.