giant stag beetle; Dorcus hopei
Refers specifically to the species Dorcus hopei, a large stag beetle native to East Asia. Often kept as a pet in Japan.
夏になると、オオクワガタを探しに山へ行く。
In summer, I go to the mountains to look for giant stag beetles.
彼はオオクワガタの幼虫を飼育している。
He is raising giant stag beetle larvae.
Another common stag beetle species in Japan, smaller and with serrated mandibles.
Katakana spelling is standard for this beetle name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and mainly found in older or specialized texts; the katakana form is strongly preferred.
From 大 (おお, 'large') + クワガタ (stag beetle). The name reflects its size compared to other stag beetles.