Japanese chimera; mythical creature
A legendary monster with a monkey's head, tanuki body, tiger limbs, and snake tail. Often associated with ominous cries.
The nue is a monster that appears in Heian-period tales.
White's thrush; scaly thrush
A bird (Zoothera dauma) whose nocturnal call resembles the mythical nue's cry, hence the name. Also called トラツグミ.
See also: トラツグミ
Figurative use for a person whose true nature or intentions are hard to grasp, like the mythical creature.
夜中に鵺の鳴き声が聞こえたという伝説がある。
There is a legend that the cry of a nue was heard in the middle of the night.
The nue is a bird that calls at night, and its voice is said to be eerie.
He's a man you can never tell what he's thinking, just like a nue.
Standard kanji for the mythical creature and extended meanings.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially for the bird and figurative senses.
Rarely used kanji form.
The word ぬえ is of uncertain origin, but it has been used since the Heian period to refer to a mythical chimera. The bird name comes from the resemblance of its nocturnal call to the legendary creature's cry.