鎧よろい鼠ねずみ

よ

ろ

い

ね

ず

み

Meanings

1

noun

armadillo

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'.

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.