蟷螂

Etymology 1
Either a compound of 🇰🇲, or of 🇰🇲, where the kiri is imitative of the sound made by grasshoppers and katydids, and is found as a common element in the names of several insects of similar size and body shape. Compare,.

Considering the sharp forelegs of the mantis, the first derivation may be more probable.

The kanji are, from.

Noun

 * 1) a mantis
 * 2)  a skinny person or horse
 * 3)  a fourspine sculpin, a fish of species

Usage notes
For the fourspine sculpin sense, the more common kanji spellings are and.

Etymology 2
From.

Noun

 * 1) a mantis

Derived terms

 * : “the mantis's hatchets” → a metaphor for a futile endeavor; compare 🇨🇬, ,