Where does “子泣き爺” come from?
子泣き爺 (Japanese) comes from Japanese 子, from Japanese 鼠, from Japanese nezumi.
子泣き爺 (Japanese): Shapeshifting monster, 妖怪, which for a ruse takes the form of either a helpless baby or tiny old man, crying near woodland trails and crushes passersby who stop to help as it transforms to devour them
Definitions
- Shapeshifting monster, 妖怪, which for a ruse takes the form of either a helpless baby or tiny old man, crying near woodland trails and crushes passersby who stop to help as it transforms to devour them
Ancestry of “子泣き爺”, step by step
子泣き爺 traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Japanese 子
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 子 | a child; a girl, especially a dear or desired... |
| 2 | Japanese | 鼠 | a mouse or a rat; general term for members of... |
| 3 | Japanese | nezumi | — |
via Japanese 爺
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Japanese | 爺 | a grandfather; <br><br>; an old man; a geezer; a... |