noun
anthill; ant mound
Refers to the mound of earth built by ants, often seen in fields or gardens.
庭に大きな蟻塚ができていた。
A large anthill had formed in the garden.
Rare single-character kanji for anthill; mainly encountered in classical or literary contexts.
蟻の巣 (ant nest) refers to the entire nest structure, often underground, while 蟻塚 specifically means the above-ground mound.
Compound of 蟻 (ari, 'ant') and 塚 (tsuka, 'mound'), with rendaku voicing tsuka → zuka.