Refers to monkeys, especially gibbons. A somewhat literary or formal term; in everyday speech 猿 (さる) is more common.
puppeteer's hand
In traditional puppet theatre (人形浄瑠璃), the visible hand of the puppeteer manipulating the puppet. A specialized term.
See also: 人形浄瑠璃
Archaic euphemism for menstrual period. Not used in modern Japanese.
The gibbon leaps from tree to tree.
In ningyō jōruri, the puppeteer's hand, called enkō, manipulates the puppet.
In old documents, there are examples where kappa is written as 猿猴.
In Edo-period texts, there are instances where menstruation is euphemistically referred to as enkō.
overreaching and failing; trying to grasp the unattainable
love-lies-bleeding; tassel flower; foxtail amaranth
Standard kanji spelling for this word.
Kana spelling; useful when the kanji are obscure or for clarity.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 猿 (monkey) and 猴 (monkey) combine to mean monkey, especially gibbon. The extended meanings likely arose from metaphorical or euphemistic usage.