also: ねずもち
Japanese privet; Ligustrum japonicum
An evergreen shrub or small tree native to Japan, often used in hedges and landscaping. The name literally means 'mouse mochi' because the small fruits resemble mouse droppings.
庭の生け垣にネズミモチを植えた。
I planted Japanese privet in the garden hedge.
ネズミモチの実は小鳥が好んで食べる。
Small birds like to eat the berries of the Japanese privet.
Katakana spelling is common for plant names; usually written in kana.
Kanji form is rare and may not be recognized by many readers.
Contracted reading, less common.
A compound of 鼠 and 黐. The plant was named for its dark fruits, likened to mouse droppings, and its resemblance to モチノキ, the birdlime holly represented by 黐.