also: とかげ
General term for lizards; commonly refers to small reptiles seen in gardens and walls.
I found a lizard in the garden.
skink
Specifically refers to skinks (family Scincidae), a type of lizard with smooth, shiny scales.
This lizard is a species called Japanese skink.
トカゲは昆虫を食べる。
Lizards eat insects.
When attacked by a predator, a lizard cuts off its own tail to escape.
ヤモリ (gecko) has sticky toe pads and is often seen on walls or ceilings, while トカゲ (lizard) is a broader term including skinks that live on the ground.
イモリ is a newt, an amphibian that lives in water, whereas トカゲ is a reptile that lives on land.
カメレオン is a specific lizard famous for changing color, while トカゲ is the general word for lizard and does not imply that ability.
Katakana spelling is the most common written form for this word.
Kanji form is rarely used; the word is usually written in kana.
Search-only kanji form; not used in modern writing.
Hiragana spelling is also used, but less common than katakana.
Rarely used kanji form.
Rarely used kanji form.
The origin is uncertain. The katakana spelling トカゲ is standard, and the kanji 蜥蜴 are Chinese characters used for 'lizard' but rarely used in Japanese.