also: タコあし
noun-modifying (irregular), noun
many-legged; octopus-like; branching out like octopus legs
Describes something with many branching extensions, like the legs of an octopus. Often used in compounds such as 蛸足配線 (octopus wiring) or 蛸足大学 (a university with many scattered campuses).
See also: タコ足配線
This room is full of octopus wiring and is dangerous.
An octopus-leg university has scattered campuses, making it hard to get around.
Standard kanji spelling; 蛸 is a non-jōyō kanji but commonly used in this compound.
Mixed kanji-katakana spelling; common in technical contexts such as タコ足配線.
Mixed kanji-hiragana spelling; less common but still seen.
Compound of 蛸 (tako, 'octopus') and 足 (ashi, 'leg'), literally 'octopus legs'. The metaphorical sense comes from the image of many branching tentacles.