black rat; roof rat
Refers specifically to Rattus rattus, the black rat or roof rat. The term is not common in everyday conversation; more often encountered in biological or agricultural contexts. Compare with 熊鼠 (くまねずみ), which can also refer to the black rat.
See also: クマネズミ (くまねずみ)
Refers to mice found in fields, likely Apodemus speciosus or similar species. The term is not common in everyday language; 野鼠 (のねずみ) is a more standard word for field mouse. This sense may be considered archaic or dialectal.
See also: 野ねずみ (のねずみ)
Black rats sometimes take up residence in the attics of houses.
In old farmhouses, field mice would sometimes damage the harvest.
Compound of 田 (ta, 'rice field') and 鼠 (nezumi, 'rat/mouse'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning of a rat or mouse found in fields.