also: やこ
noun
wild fox
Refers to a fox living in the wild, as opposed to a domesticated or tame fox. Neutral term.
山で野狐を見かけた。
I spotted a wild fox in the mountains.
noun
mythical fox capable of possessing people
Only with reading やこ
A fox spirit from Japanese folklore that can possess humans. The reading やこ is specifically associated with this supernatural sense.
昔話には、野狐が人に憑く話がよく出てくる。
In old tales, stories of a 野狐 (やこ) possessing people often appear.
Compound of 野 (の, 'field, wild') and 狐 (きつね, 'fox'). The reading やこ is an older, less common reading of the same kanji, used in folklore contexts.