also: まご
Ma Gu; legendary Taoist immortal
A female immortal in Chinese mythology, often depicted with long fingernails. The name is used in Japanese contexts related to Taoist legends.
backscratcher
A backscratcher, named after the immortal Ma Gu's long fingernails. Often referred to as 孫の手 (まごのて) in modern Japanese, but 麻姑 can be used as a literary or abbreviated form.
See also: 孫の手
Ma Gu is a Chinese immortal who is said to have long fingernails.
People in the old days used a backscratcher to scratch their backs.
counter for people
things going exactly as one wishes; someone being very attentive to one's wishes
Standard kanji spelling for the Taoist immortal and the backscratcher derived from her legend.
Alternate reading; less common than まこ. The backscratcher sense is sometimes read まご, but まこ is more standard.
From Chinese 麻姑 (Má Gū), a legendary Taoist immortal. The backscratcher sense comes from the association with her long fingernails.