Common word for earthworm; used in everyday contexts as well as in biology.
After the rain, earthworms came out onto the road.
Earthworms are useful for enriching the soil.
counter for small animals · counter for rolls of cloth · archaic counter for horses · roll of cloth
Katakana spelling is common for this word, often used in biological contexts or for emphasis.
Hiragana spelling; the word is usually written in kana.
Rare kanji form; not commonly used in modern writing.
An ancient native word for the earthworm, historically attested as みみづ. Its ultimate origin is uncertain; 蚯蚓 is a meaning-based spelling.