虫ちゅう類るい

noun

worms and insects; creeping things

A somewhat old-fashioned or literary collective term for small crawling creatures, including worms and insects. In modern everyday speech, 虫 (むし) is more common.

• 昔むかしの人ひとは、虫ちゅう類るいをまとめて「むし」と呼よんでいた。