TOKYO, Jan 29 (News On Japan) - The kanji in question is "冬眠鼠." A mouse that hibernates in winter? The hint is 〇ま〇. What kind of animal could it be? It's said to be very cute.
The answer is "yamane"! It is a species of rodent endemic to Japan, also written as "山鼠," and measures about 7 to 8 cm in length. It lives in mountainous areas, and it seems that they are often seen curled up and hibernating in mountain huts. However, their numbers have decreased so much that in 1975, they were designated as a natural monument by the country.
We all want to continue to protect the charming sight of these hibernating creatures.
Dengeki Online's serial feature "Difficult Kanji to Read" continues to challenge readers with a wide range of characters, from those so complex that one might not even guess how to read them, to seemingly simple ones that are surprisingly tricky.
The column is curated by "Keiji Kyoya," a humble calligrapher who lives with his cat.
Stay tuned for more challenging kanji updates!
Source: Dengeki