Don't confuse with 芋虫 is a general term for any caterpillar and can look similar to 蚕 , but 蚕 specifically means the domesticated silk-producing silkworm.
芋虫 shares the kanji 芋 but means 'caterpillar', a completely different concept from 芋 the tuber.
毛虫 refers to caterpillars covered in noticeable hair or bristles, while 芋虫 refers to smooth, hairless caterpillars, so the two are often confused as generic 'caterpillar'.
Written forms イモムシ Usage 20%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common; usually written in kana.
いもむし Usage 32%
Hiragana spelling is also used, especially in children's contexts.
芋いも 虫むし Usage 31%
Kanji spelling is less common but still encountered.
イモ 虫むし Usage 10%
いも 虫むし Usage 7%
Etymology Compound of 芋 (imo, 'potato, tuber') and 虫 (mushi, 'insect, worm'), from the caterpillar's resemblance to a potato or its association with tuber plants.
Report an issue with this page
Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
