noun
Japanese flying squirrel; small Japanese flying squirrel; Japanese dwarf flying squirrel
Refers specifically to Pteromys momonga, a small gliding mammal native to Japan. Often written in katakana as モモンガ.
夜の森でモモンガが木から木へ滑空した。
At night in the forest, a Japanese flying squirrel glided from tree to tree.
モモンガは大きな目と
The Japanese flying squirrel is characterized by its large eyes and fluffy fur.
Rare kanji form; may also be read のぶすま in other contexts.
ムササビ (Petaurista leucogenys) is a larger species of flying squirrel found in Japan, while モモンガ is smaller.
The origin of モモンガ is uncertain; it is a native Japanese word, and the kanji forms 鼯鼠 and 野衾 are rare ateji.