giant snake; monster serpent
Poetic or mythological term for a huge, monstrous snake, often associated with Japanese legends like Yamata no Orochi.
Yamata no Orochi is a giant serpent with eight heads.
In that old tale, an orochi appears that attacks the village.
Katakana spelling is common for this mythological creature; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly literary; the reading おろち is not the standard reading for 大蛇 (usually だいじゃ).
Hiragana spelling, also used.
The origin is uncertain; it is an ancient Japanese word for a giant serpent, famously appearing in the myth of Yamata no Orochi.