also: はみ · くちばみ · たじひ
noun
mamushi; Japanese pit viper
Refers specifically to Gloydius blomhoffii, a venomous snake found in Japan. Often written in katakana as マムシ.
See also: クサリヘビ
山でマムシに噛まれないように気をつけてください。
Be careful not to get bitten by a mamushi in the mountains.
マムシは毒蛇の一種です。
The mamushi is a type of venomous snake.
Kanji form is rare and mainly encountered in specialized or literary contexts.
Hiragana spelling is also used.
Obsolete kana usage; not used in modern Japanese.
Obsolete kana usage; not used in modern Japanese.
Obsolete kana usage; not used in modern Japanese.
クサリヘビ is the broader term for pit vipers (family Viperidae, subfamily Crotalinae), while マムシ refers specifically to the Japanese pit viper Gloydius blomhoffii.
The origin of the word まむし is uncertain. It may be related to old Japanese words for 'true snake' or derive from mimetic qualities, but the exact derivation is unclear.