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つちはんみょう (tsuchihanmyou) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

つちはんみょう

also: にわつつ

つ

ち

は

ん

みょ

う

Meanings

1

blister beetle; oil beetle

usually written using kana alone

Refers to beetles of the family Meloidae, known for producing cantharidin, a blistering agent. In Japanese, typically written in kana.

つちはんみょうは、触さわると皮ひ膚ふに水みずぶくれが

できる

こと

が

ある

。

Blister beetles can cause blisters on the skin if touched.

このあたりでは、夏なつになるとつちはんみょうをよく見みかける。

Around here, we often see blister beetles in the summer.

Kanji

土soil, earth, ground
斑spot, blemish, speck
猫cat
地ground, earth
胆gall bladder, courage, pluck

Word family

ヒメツチハンミョウ
Meloe coarctatus; oil beetle species

Built from

土つち+ハンミョウ

Written forms

土斑猫つちはんみょう
Rare kanji spelling; the reading つちはんみょう is standard for this form.
地胆
- つちはんみょう
  Rare kanji spelling; also has the rare reading にわつつ.
- にわつつ
  Rare reading for the kanji form 地胆; not commonly used.
にわつつ

Etymology

The name つちはんみょう is a compound of 土 (tsuchi, 'earth') and 斑猫 (hanmyō, 'tiger beetle'), though the insect is not a true tiger beetle. The derivation is uncertain; the kanji forms are likely borrowed from Chinese entomological terms.