also: ねずもち
noun
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.
Kanji form is rare and may not be recognized by many readers.
Contracted reading, less common.
The name ネズミモチ (鼠黐) literally means 'mouse mochi', referring to the small, dark fruits that resemble mouse droppings. The kanji 鼠 means 'mouse' and 黐 means 'birdlime' (a sticky substance used to catch birds), but the connection to birdlime is unclear; it may be a phonetic borrowing or a reference to the sticky nature of the plant's sap.