洗熊

洗熊

Japanese

Kanji in this term
洗	熊
あら(い) Grade: 6	くま > ぐま Grade: S
kun’yomi

Alternative forms

• 洗い熊
• 浣熊

Etymology

Calque of New Latin Ursus lotor, equivalent to 洗い (arai, “washing”, from 洗う (“to wash”)) +‎ 熊 (kuma, “bear”), based on raccoons' behavior of washing things that they like.

Pronunciation

• Kun’yomi
  • (Tokyo) あらい​ぐま [àráíꜜgùmà] (Nakadaka – [3])
  • (Tokyo) あら​いぐま [àráꜜìgùmà] (Nakadaka – [2])
  • IPA^(key): [a̠ɾa̠iɡɯ̟ᵝma̠]

Noun

洗熊 (hiragana あらいぐま, katakana アライグマ, rōmaji araiguma, historical hiragana あらひぐま, historical katakana アラヒグマ)

1. a raccoon (nocturnal omnivore living in North America, Procyon lotor)

See also

• 狸 (タヌキ) (tanuki, “raccoon dog”)