蛙

Glyph origin
.

Etymology 1
. Also compare 🇨🇬.

Definitions

 * 1) frog

Etymology 1


→ →  →  →  →

From.

The Nihon Kokugo Daijiten cites this to the  of 720, however, that may only be traceable to supplemental glosses added later to the kanbun original.

Spelled phonetically once in the , completed some time after 759, where it is used phonetically to spell the name of the maple tree. Generally regarded as the informal or everyday term for, in contrast to the formal or poetic term kawazu (see below).

The ultimate derivation is unclear, with numerous theories. Some of the leading ideas include:
 * Cognate with, from the way that some species of frogs return to their birthplace to spawn
 * Cognate with, in reference to tadpoles
 * Derived from onomatopoeia, where kape originally referred to the frog's call, suffixed uncertain element -ru

The phonetic development went through a clear stage where the middle mora was pronounced, as illustrated in the 1603  entry, spelled cayeru. This was likely a result of the sound shift, where  shifted to, followed later by  merging into  to produce modern.

Now the most common term for.

Noun

 * 1) a frog amphibious animal

Etymology 2
→ * → →  →

The more formal or poetic counterpart to kaeru (see above). Found in the , completed some time after 759 CE.

The ultimate derivation is unclear, but the initial kawa portion (ancient kapa) is very likely,.

The phonetic development of the term had already progressed to kawadzu by 1603, as seen in the  entry, spelled cauazzu.

Noun

 * 1)  a frog amphibious animal
 * 2) * 1686, 松尾芭蕉 Matsuo Bashō
 * "ja"

- 古池や蛙飛びこむ水の音


 * 1)  a specific mask used in certain Noh plays, depicting a drowned person

Derived terms

 * : “a frog in a well does not know the great ocean” → metaphor of a narrow world view based on limited experience

Etymology 3
→ →  →  →  →

Sound shift. Existed alongside earlier kayeru in the late 1500s, early 1600s, as seen in the 1603  entry, spelled cairu.

Noun

 * 1)  a frog amphibious animal

Affix

 * 1) frog amphibious animal