noun
tanuki; raccoon dog
Refers to the animal Nyctereutes procyonoides, a canid native to East Asia. In Japanese folklore, the tanuki is often depicted as a mischievous, shape-shifting creature.
昨夜、庭でたぬきを見かけました。
I saw a tanuki in the garden last night.
たぬきは日本の民話によく登場する動物です。
The tanuki is an animal that often appears in Japanese folk tales.
noun
sly person; cunning devil; sly old fox
Figurative use comparing a person to the crafty tanuki of folklore. Often used in a half-joking, half-critical way to describe someone who is shrewd or manipulative.
あの男はたぬきだから、気をつけたほうがいいよ。
That guy is a sly fox, so you'd better be careful.
彼女はたぬきのような人で、何を考えているかわからない。
She's a cunning person; you never know what she's thinking.
Rarely used kanji form; not recommended for learners.
Both refer to animals with folkloric associations, but 狐 (fox) is often seen as more elegant or mystical, while 狸 (tanuki) is more comical and mischievous. Figuratively, 狐 can also mean a sly person, but 狸 emphasizes a more earthy, crafty cunning.
The word たぬき is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 狸 is a Chinese character adopted for its meaning, though the exact historical derivation is uncertain.