hermit crab
Common word for the crustacean that lives in empty shells. Usually written in katakana.
I found a hermit crab on the beach.
ヤドカリは貝殻を背負って歩く。
Hermit crabs walk around carrying shells on their backs.
renting a house
Only when written 宿借り
Rare, literary, or historical term for house rental. Modern Japanese normally uses 借家 or 賃貸.
In the Edo period, the word 宿借り was used for renting a house.
Only when written 宿借り
Rare, literary, or historical term for a person who rents a house. Modern Japanese normally uses 借家人 or 賃借人.
In old documents, the name is recorded as a tenant.
Katakana spelling is standard for the hermit crab sense; the word is usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Kanji form used mainly for the 'renting a house' and 'tenant' senses; rarely used for the hermit crab.
Rare kanji form for the hermit crab sense.
The word やどかり literally means 'borrowing a lodging' (宿借り), referring to the hermit crab's habit of using empty shells as temporary homes. The kanji 寄居虫 and 寄居蟹 are descriptive compounds for the creature. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.