海鼠

海鼠

1. (Penghu Hokkien) dolphin

First cited in a text from 1781.[1]

Compound of 生 (nama, “raw”) +‎ 海鼠 (ko, “sea cucumber”, ancient usage, see below). Previously spelled 生海鼠, with the 生 (nama) portion explicitly spelled out.[2] The nama portion was likely added to specify sea cucumber eaten raw, in contrast to 煎海鼠 (iriko, literally “roasted sea cucumber”).

The modern spelling is jukujikun (熟字訓) from Chinese 海鼠 (literally “sea + mouse, rat”).

• (Tokyo) なまこ​ [nàmákóꜜ] (Odaka – [3])[3][2][4]
• (Tokyo) なまこ [nàmákó] (Heiban – [0])[3][2][4]
• IPA^(key): [na̠ma̠ko̞]

海鼠(なまこ) • (namako) 

1. a sea cucumber

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

The older term for modern namako.[3][2] First cited in the ten-volume Wamyō Ruijushō of 934 CE.[1]

Possibly cognate with 子 (ko, “child”, also general noun for small things), perhaps from the way that a sea cucumber will contract into a small ball shape when disturbed.

• IPA^(key): [ko̞]

海鼠(こ) • (ko) 

1. (obsolete) a sea cucumber

First cited in the 本草和名 (Honzō Wamyō, literally “Japanese Names of Medical Plants”) of 918 CE.[1]

From Middle Chinese 海鼠 (MC xojX syoX).

• (Tokyo) か​いそ [káꜜìsò] (Atamadaka – [1])[3]
• IPA^(key): [ka̠iso̞]

海(かい)鼠(そ) • (kaiso) 

1. a sea cucumber

• Entry at Gogen-Allguide (in Japanese)
• Entry at Nihon Jiten (in Japanese)