noun
opossum
Refers to the marsupial animal; in Japanese, the word is usually written in kana.
フクロネズミは夜行性の動物です。
Opossums are nocturnal animals.
庭でフクロネズミを見かけました。
I saw an opossum in the garden.
Compound of 袋 (fukuro, 'pouch') and 鼠 (nezumi, 'rat/mouse'), referring to the marsupial's pouch. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.