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海豹肢症 (azarashishishou) Japanese meaning: phocomelia | Kotomora

海豹あざらし肢し症しょう

also: アザラシししょう

あ

ざ

ら

し

し

しょ

う

Meanings

1

phocomelia

Medical term for a congenital condition where limbs are severely shortened, resembling seal flippers. Used in clinical and academic contexts.

海豹あざらし肢し症しょうは、サリドマイドの副ふく作さ用ようとして知しられるようになった

。

Phocomelia became known as a side effect of thalidomide.

Kanji

海sea, ocean
豹leopard, panther
肢limb, arms & legs
症symptoms, illness

Written forms

海豹あざらし肢し症しょう
Standard kanji spelling for this medical term.
アザラシ肢し症しょう
Katakana spelling of the animal part, sometimes used for clarity or in patient-facing contexts.
アザラシししょう

Etymology

Compound of 海豹 (あざらし, 'seal') + 肢 (し, 'limb') + 症 (しょう, 'condition/disease'), literally 'seal-limb condition'. The term is a direct calque of medical Latin 'phocomelia'.