しゃくとりむし

Japanese

Alternative spellings
尺取り虫 尺取虫

Etymology

From 尺(しゃく) (shaku, “shaku”) + 取(と)り (tori, “taking”, 連(れん)用(よう)形(けい) (ren'yōkei, “stem or continuative form”) of the verb 取(と)る (toru).) + 虫(むし) (mushi, “bug”).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) しゃくとり​むし [shàkútóríꜜmùshì] (Nakadaka – [4])
• IPA^(key): [ɕa̠kɯ̟ᵝto̞ɾʲimɯ̟ᵝɕi]

Noun

しゃくとりむし or シャクトリムシ • (shakutorimushi) ^{←しやくとりむし (syakutorimusi)?}

1. measuring worm; looper

Usage notes

• As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary).