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鎧鼠 (yoroinezumi) Japanese meaning: armadillo | Kotomora

鎧よろい鼠ねずみ

よ

ろ

い

ね

ず

み

Meanings

1

rare term

Rare Japanese word for armadillo; in modern Japanese, アルマジロ is overwhelmingly more common. This term may appear in older texts or as a literal translation of 'armored rat'.

See also: アルマジロ

古ふるい図ず鑑かんには「

鎧よろい

鼠ねずみ

」

と

書か

い

て

ある

が

、

今いま

は

アルマジロ

と

呼よ

ぶ

。

In old illustrated reference books it's written as 鎧鼠, but now we call it アルマジロ.

Kanji

鎧put on armor, arm oneself
鼠rat, mouse, dark gray

Related words

アルマジロ
The standard modern Japanese word for armadillo, borrowed from Spanish. 鎧鼠 is a rare native Japanese coinage that is largely obsolete.

Built from

鎧よろい+ねずみ

Etymology

Compound of 鎧 (yoroi, 'armor') and 鼠 (nezumi, 'rat/mouse'), literally 'armored rat', describing the animal's appearance. The exact origin is uncertain; it is a Japanese coinage rather than a direct translation of a Western term.