noun
Meimuna opalifera (a species of cicada)
A cicada known for its distinctive 'tsuku-tsuku-boushi' call, heard in late summer to early autumn in Japan.
夏の終わりに、つくつくぼうしが鳴き始めた。
At the end of summer, the tsukutsukuboushi cicadas started singing.
Ateji spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
Katakana spelling, often used in field guides or for emphasis.
Named onomatopoeically after its call 'tsuku-tsuku-boushi'. The kanji 法師 (boushi, 'Buddhist priest') is ateji.