【No. 1776】Omagari Neko (尾曲がり猫 - Cats with Bent Tails)
Mar 7, 2021 16:41
Omagari Neko
Yesterday, I introduced you to the term kagishippo (かぎしっぽ), which represents a tail of a cat bent like a key.
Such cats with kagishippo are also called as omagari neko (尾曲がり猫).
O (尾) means "tail," magari (曲がり) means "bent," and neko (猫) means "cat," so omagari neko literally means a cat with a bent tail.
To tell you the truth, there are many such cats in Japan.
In particular, about 80% of cats are omagari neko in Nagasaki prefecture.
It is said that this is because Japanese people have believed that cats with long and straight tails could become monsters called nekomata (猫又) and have especially cherished cats with short and bent tails.
Yesterday, I introduced you to the term kagishippo (かぎしっぽ), which represents a tail of a cat bent like a key.
Such cats with kagishippo are also called as omagari neko (尾曲がり猫).
O (尾) means "tail," magari (曲がり) means "bent," and neko (猫) means "cat," so omagari neko literally means a cat with a bent tail.
To tell you the truth, there are many such cats in Japan.
In particular, about 80% of cats are omagari neko in Nagasaki prefecture.
It is said that this is because Japanese people have believed that cats with long and straight tails could become monsters called nekomata (猫又) and have especially cherished cats with short and bent tails.
尾曲がり猫
昨日は、鍵のように曲がっている猫のしっぽを表す「かぎしっぽ」という言葉を紹介しました。
「かぎしっぽ」を持つ猫のことを、「尾曲がり猫」とも言います。
「尻」は "tail"、「曲がり」は "bent"、「猫」は "cat" を意味するので、「尾曲がり猫」は文字どおり "a cat with a bent tail" となります。
尾曲がり猫は縁起がよいとされていますが、実は日本にはそのような猫が多く生息しています。
特に長崎県では、約80％の猫が尾曲がり猫だそうです。
この理由の一つに、日本では長くてまっすぐな尻尾を持つ猫は「猫又」という妖怪になるとされ、短いしっぽや曲がったしっぽを持つ猫が愛されていたからという説があります。
昨日は、鍵のように曲がっている猫のしっぽを表す「かぎしっぽ」という言葉を紹介しました。
「かぎしっぽ」を持つ猫のことを、「尾曲がり猫」とも言います。
「尻」は "tail"、「曲がり」は "bent"、「猫」は "cat" を意味するので、「尾曲がり猫」は文字どおり "a cat with a bent tail" となります。
尾曲がり猫は縁起がよいとされていますが、実は日本にはそのような猫が多く生息しています。
特に長崎県では、約80％の猫が尾曲がり猫だそうです。
この理由の一つに、日本では長くてまっすぐな尻尾を持つ猫は「猫又」という妖怪になるとされ、短いしっぽや曲がったしっぽを持つ猫が愛されていたからという説があります。
Corrections (1)
No. 1 katyenka
- Yesterday, I introduced you to the term 'kagishippo' (かぎしっぽ), which represents a tail of a cat bent like a key.
- Yesterday, I introduced you to the term 'kagishippo' (かぎしっぽ), which represents a cat's tail of a cat that is bent like a key.
- Such cats with 'kagishippo' are also called as 'omagari neko' (尾曲がり猫).
- Such cats with 'kagishippo' are also called as 'omagari neko' (尾曲がり猫).
- In particular, about 80% of cats are 'omagari neko' in Nagasaki prefecture.
- In particular, about 80% of cats in Nagasaki prefecture are 'omagari neko' in Nagasaki prefecture.
- It is said that this is because Japanese people have believed that cats with long and straight tails could become monsters called 'nekomata' (猫又) and have especially cherished cats with short and bent tails.
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It is said that this is because Japanese people have believe(d) that cats with long and straight tails could become monsters called 'nekomata' (猫又) and therefore have especially cherished cats with short and bent tails.
believe = believe now (and possibly also in the past)
believed = believed in the past, but not now
used to believe = also in the past but not now
have long believed = believed in the past for a long time, and also now
but for some reason "have believed" sounds strange, I can't explain why!
Toru
Thank you for the correction and explanation! :)
Since "believe" is a stative verb like "resemble" or "know," it might be a little weird (or, it could give different nuances) to use it in the past participle.
Thank you for the correction and explanation! :)
Since "believe" is a stative verb like "resemble" or "know," it might be a little weird (or, it could give different nuances) to use it in the past participle.