sand flea; chigoe; chigger
A parasitic flea (Tunga penetrans) found in tropical and subtropical regions. The term 'chigoe' is the most precise English equivalent, while 'sand flea' and 'chigger' are common but can refer to other organisms.
The sand flea is a parasite that burrows into the skin.
Compound of 砂 (すな, 'sand') and 蚤 (のみ, 'flea'). The exact derivation is straightforward; the kanji 蚤 is a non-jōyō character for 'flea'.