麻ま姑こ

noun

Ma Gu; legendary Taoist immortal

A female immortal in Chinese mythology, often depicted with long fingernails. The name is used in Japanese contexts related to Taoist legends.

• 麻ま姑こは中ちゅう国ごくの仙せん人にんで、長ながい爪つめを持もつと伝つたえられている。

  Ma Gu is a Chinese immortal who is said to have long fingernails.

noun

backscratcher

A backscratcher, named after the immortal Ma Gu's long fingernails. Often referred to as 孫の手 (まごのて) in modern Japanese, but 麻姑 can be used as a literary or abbreviated form.

See also: 孫の手

• 昔むかしの人ひとは麻ま姑こで背せ中なかをかいていた。

  People in the old days used a backscratcher to scratch their backs.