weak tengu; small tengu
A minor or low-ranking tengu, often depicted as a small, weak, or comical creature in folklore. Rare term; compare with 木の葉天狗 (このはてんぐ), which is more common.
In old tales, there are stories of weak tengu playing pranks.
この神社の天狗は、木っ葉天狗と呼ばれる下っ端だそうだ。
The tengu at this shrine is said to be a low-ranking one called a koppa-tengu.
Standard spelling with small-tsu for the geminate consonant.
Variant without small-tsu; less common but attested.
Alternate kanji for the first part; 端 (edge) is used instead of 葉 (leaf).
Rare variant combining 端 without small-tsu.
Compound of 木っ端 (こっぱ, 'wood chip' or 'small piece of wood') and 天狗 (てんぐ, 'tengu'), literally 'wood-chip tengu', implying a small or insignificant tengu. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.