皮虫

皮虫

Japanese

Kanji in this term
皮	虫
かわ Grade: 3	むし Grade: 1
kun’yomi

Etymology

kapamushi → kaɸamushi → kawamushi. Literally 皮 (kawa, “skin, fur, hair”) +‎ 虫 (mushi, “insect”).

Noun

皮虫 (hiragana かわむし, rōmaji kawamushi, historical hiragana かはむし)

1. caterpillar
   • 931–938, Wamyō Ruijushō, book 8, page 68:

     烏毛虫 兼名苑云、髯虫。一名烏毛虫、加波无之

   • circa 11th century, Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari

     かは虫の、心ふかきさましたるこそ心にくけれ

   • circa 11th century, Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari

     かは虫の蝶とはなるなり

Synonyms

• 毛虫

References

• Minamoto, Shitagō; Kyōto Daigaku Bungakubu Kokugogaku Kokubungaku Kenkyūshitu (931–938) Shohon Shūsei Wamyō Ruijushō: Honbunhen (in Japanese), Kyōto: Rinsen, published 1968, →ISBN.
• Ōtsuki, Osamu; Gen'e Imai, Sumiaki Morishita, Masao Karashima (1992) Shin Nihon Koten Bungaku Taikei 26: Tsutsumi Chūnagon Monogatari, Torikaebaya Monogatari (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, →ISBN