モモンガ

Japanese

Alternative spellings
摸々具和 (dated) 鼯鼠 (dated) 野衾 (dated)

Etymology

/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

• (Tokyo) モモンガ [mòmóꜜǹgà] (Nakadaka – [2])
• IPA^(key): [mo̞mõ̞ŋɡa̠]

Noun

モモンガ or ももんが • (momonga) ^{←モモンガア (momongaa)?} (counter 匹)

1. a flying squirrel, especially the Japanese dwarf flying squirrel (Pteromys momonga)

Usage notes

• 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

• (Japanese dwarf flying squirrel): 日(ニ)本(ホン)鼯鼠(モモンガ) (Nihon momonga)

Derived terms

• アメリカ鼯鼠(モモンガ) (Amerika momonga, “southern flying squirrel (Glaucomys volans)”)
• 蝦夷(エゾ)鼯鼠(モモンガ) (Ezo momonga), 大陸(タイリク)鼯鼠(モモンガ) (tairiku momonga, “Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans)”)
• 袋(フクロ)鼯鼠(モモンガ) (fukuromomonga, “sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps)”)

See also

• ムササビ (musasabi, “Japanese giant flying squirrel (Petaurista leucogenys)”)
• 栗鼠(リス) (risu, “squirrel (Sciuridae)”)