蛭子

Japanese

Kanji in this term
蛭	子
えびす
Hyōgai	Grade: 1
jukujikun

Kanji in this term
蛭	子
ひる Hyōgai	こ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Etymology

Hiruko: Given the spelling in 古事記 (Kojiki) (水蛭子) and the 日本書紀 (Nihon Shoki) (蛭兒), and the fact that Hiruko was considered a deformed failure owing to the improper courtship ritual between 伊弉諾 (Izanagi) and 伊弉冉 (Izanami), this name is usually interpreted as 蛭 (“leech”) +‎ 子 (“child”). Alternatively, this could be the male equivalent of 日孁 (Hirume, “Amaterasu”, literally “Sun Female”), hence 日 (hi, “sun”) +‎ る (ru, possible variant of archaic genitive particle ろ) +‎ 子 (ko, “child”), although his association with the sun was never clearly stated.

Proper noun

蛭(ひる)子(こ) • (Hiruko) 

1. (Japanese mythology) son of 伊弉諾 (Izanagi) and 伊弉冉 (Izanami), born either before or after 淡路島 (Awajishima, “Awaji Island”) during his parents' nation birthing process (his "siblings" included islands), considered a deformed failure, disowned by his parents, and sent adrift on reed boat

蛭子(えびす) • (Ebisu) 

1. Alternative spelling of 恵比寿