🌏 Region(s): Ryukyu (Okinawa)

きーむし【毛虫・毛蟲】 : kiimushi | define meaning

kiimushi

Pronunciation: [kiːmuɕi]

Definition

Noun

Caterpillar, especially one that is hairy. A hairy caterpillar.

Etymology

Cognate with standard Japanese けむし【毛虫】 kemushi "hairy caterpillar".

Historical Ryukyuan attestations

沖縄語典 Okinawa goten (Okinawan language dictionary) (1896), by Masayo Nakamoto, records "「きーむしや」毛蟲（ケムシ）".

Spelling

Orthography	Form
Kanji	毛虫毛蟲
Kana	きーむし
Romanization	kiimushi
Pronunciation (IPA)	[kiːmuɕi]

意味：けむし【毛虫・毛蟲】

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Categories:

Insects

毛虫

Tags: Okinawan Language, Uchinaaguchi, Ryukyuan Languages, 沖縄方言, 沖縄語, うちなーぐち, 沖縄口, 琉球方言, 琉球語...

Cite this entry: Read, Zachary. (2025, June 5). きーむし【毛虫・毛蟲】 : kiimushi | define meaning. JLect: Japonic Languages and Dialects Database. Retrieved 2025, July 1, from https://www.jlect.com/entry/4820/kiimushi/.