火鼠

Noun

 * 1)  fire rat or mouse a mythological creature
 * 2)  squirrel

Etymology 1


Compound of elements.

Noun

 * 1) a fire-rat: an imaginary creature of ancient China resembling a white rat, thought to live in the volcanoes of the South China Sea and to have fireproof fur
 * 2) * 10th century: 
 * 唐土にある、火鼠の裘を給へ
 * もろこしにある、ひねずみのかわごろもをたまえ
 * Morokoshi ni aru, hinezumi no kawagoromo o tamae
 * Get me the fur robe of the fire-rat in China...

Derived terms

 * : asbestos cloth
 * : asbestos cloth

Etymology 2
→

From compound. Date of borrowing unknown.

Noun

 * 1) a fire-rat (see above)

Usage notes
The hinezumi reading is more common.