サンショウウオ

さ

ん

しょ

う

お

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun

salamander

usually written using kana alone

Refers to any tailed amphibian of the order Caudata; in Japanese, often specifically the Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) or smaller species like the clouded salamander.

サンショウウオはきれいな水みずにしか住すめない。

Salamanders can only live in clean water.

川かわで大おおきなサンショウウオを見みつけた。

I found a large salamander in the river.

Kanji

山mountain
椒Japanese pepper tree
魚fish
鯢salamander, female whale, small fish

Related words

イモリ
イモリ (newt) is a different amphibian; newts have rougher skin and spend more time in water as adults, while salamanders generally have smoother skin and many are terrestrial.

Word family

おおさんしょううお
Japanese giant salamander
ブチサンショウウオ
buchi salamander; Hynobius naevius
カスミサンショウウオ
clouded salamander (Hynobius nebulosus)
クロサンショウウオ
Japanese black salamander
ハコネサンショウウオ
Japanese clawed salamander

Written forms

サンショウウオ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is the most common written form; the word is usually written in kana.
山さん椒しょう魚うお
Kanji spelling using 山椒 (Japanese pepper) and 魚 (fish), but rarely used in practice.
鯢さんしょううお
rarely-used kanji form
Rare single-kanji form; it is rarely used.

Etymology

The name サンショウウオ is said to come from the belief that the animal smells like 山椒 (Japanese pepper). The exact origin is uncertain.

ヒダサンショウウオ

Hida salamander; Hynobius kimurae