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心喰い虫 (しんくいむし) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

心しん喰くい虫むし

し

ん

く

い

む

し

Meanings

1

codling moth larva

Specifically the larva of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella), a pest that bores into fruit.

リンゴの内ない部ぶに心しん喰くい虫むしが入はいり込こんでいた。

A codling moth larva had gotten inside the apple.

2

fruit-boring moth larva

General term for any moth larva that feeds inside fruit; not limited to codling moth.

この果か樹じゅ園えんでは心しん喰くい虫むしの被ひ害がいが広ひろがっている。
Damage from fruit-boring moth larvae is spreading in this orchard.

Kanji

心heart, mind, spirit
喰eat, drink, receive (a blow)
虫insect, bug, temper

Related words

コドリンガ
Refers to the adult codling moth, while 心喰い虫 refers to its larva.
害がい虫ちゅう
General term for harmful insects; 心喰い虫 is a specific type of pest.

Written forms

心しん喰くい虫むし
Standard kanji spelling for this compound.
心しん喰くい虫むし
Variant spelling omitting the okurigana い.
シンクイムシ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, common in informal or technical contexts.

Etymology

Compound of 心 (しん, 'core, heart') + 喰い (くい, 'eating', from 食う) + 虫 (むし, 'insect'), literally 'core-eating insect'. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term transparently describes the larva's behavior.