まいまいつぶり

also: まいまいつぶろ

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Meanings

1

noun

snail

usually written using kana alone

A colloquial or dialectal word for snail, often used in children's language or regional speech. The standard term is カタツムリ.

Written forms

まいまいつぶろ
Alternate reading variant, also usually written in kana.
舞舞螺
rarely-used kanji form
- まいまいつぶり
  Rarely used kanji form; the reading まいまいつぶろ is also possible but not standard for this spelling.
- まいまいつぶろ

Kanji

舞dance, flit, circle
螺small, edible, helical fresh-water mollusk

Similar words

カタツムリ
The standard, neutral word for snail. まいまいつぶり is a more colloquial or dialectal variant, often with a childish or regional flavor.
でんでんむし
Another colloquial or children's word for snail, similar in register to まいまいつぶり.

Etymology

The origin is uncertain. It may be a reduplicative mimetic word, possibly from the image of a snail's slow, spiraling movement. The kanji 舞舞螺 are ateji applied later.