also: かがんぼ
crane fly; daddy longlegs
Refers to insects of the family Tipulidae, often mistaken for large mosquitoes but harmless.
On a summer night, a big crane fly was resting on the window.
Crane flies look like mosquitoes, but they don't bite.
Katakana spelling is common for this insect name; usually written in kana.
Hiragana variant; less common than katakana but still used.
Alternate reading; less common than ががんぼ.
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is usually written in kana. The kanji literally mean 'big mosquito'.
The origin is uncertain. The word is likely mimetic or sound-symbolic, possibly related to the insect's appearance or movement.