whelk; sea snail (Neptunea, Buccinum)
Only with reading つぶ / ツブ
Refers to larger marine whelks, especially edible species. Often seen in seafood contexts.
In Hokkaido, whelk sashimi is a local specialty.
small spiral-shelled snail; pond snail
Used for small freshwater or land snails with spiral shells. Less common than sense 1; often encountered in nature guides or traditional contexts.
See also: にし
I found a small pond snail in the rice paddy.
Katakana spelling is common for this shellfish name; usually written in kana.
Kanji form is rare and may be confused with other readings; not recommended for learners.
Kanji compound is rare; the word is normally written in kana.
The origin is uncertain. The word may be related to the shape or sound symbolism of small round objects, but this is speculative.