モモンガ
Japanese edit
Alternative spellings |
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摸々具和 (dated) 鼯鼠 (dated) 野衾 (dated) |
Etymology edit
/momi/ → /momo/ → /momoŋɡaː/ → /momoŋɡa/
From Old Japanese モミ (momi, “flying squirrel”) which later became モモ (momo). It is supposed that ンガ (nga) ending may have come from the sound of the animal's cry, which led to モモンガア (momongaa). The final ア (a) sound is usually dropped in modern Japanese when referring to the animal.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
モモンガ or ももんが • (momonga) ←モモンガア (momongaa)?
- a flying squirrel, especially the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel (Pteromys momonga)
Usage notes edit
- As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as モモンガ.
- The katakana spelling appears to be more common.
Synonyms edit
- (Japanese dwarf flying squirrel): 日本鼯鼠 (Nihon momonga)
Derived terms edit
- アメリカ鼯鼠 (Amerika momonga, “southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans)”)
- 蝦夷鼯鼠 (Ezo momonga), 大陸鼯鼠 (tairiku momonga, “Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans)”)
- 袋鼯鼠 (fukuromomonga, “sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)”)
See also edit
- ムササビ (musasabi, “Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys)”)
- 栗鼠 (risu, “squirrel (Sciuridae)”)