Is 鮱 used in modern Japanese?

鮱 is a variant character primarily used in historical contexts for 鯱 (shachihoko). The standard character 鯱 is much more common in modern usage.

Can 鮱 be used in Chinese names?

No, this is a Japanese-specific character and would not be appropriate for Chinese names as it's not part of the standard Chinese character set.

What is the cultural significance of this character?

It represents the shachihoko, a protective mythical creature commonly seen as roof ornaments on Japanese castles, particularly associated with fire protection.

鮱Tone 3

lǎo ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

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鮱 · lǎo

A Japanese kokuji (国字) character used in the word 鯱 (shachihoko), a mythical creature with the head of a tiger and body of a carp, often found as roof ornaments on Japanese castles.

A Japanese kokuji (国字) character used in the

Usage highlights

Shachihoko mythical creatureGolden shachihokoCastle shachihokoShachihoko ornamentShachihoko roof decoration

Synonyms

鯱— shachihoko (the full character for the mythical creature)

Usage & contexts

Examples

The castle roof was adorned with shachihoko ornaments (鯱).
Shachihoko are believed to protect buildings from fire (鯱).
The golden shachihoko glittered in the sun (金の鯱).

Collocations

Shachihoko mythical creature(鯱)
Golden shachihoko(金鯱)
Castle shachihoko(城の鯱)
Shachihoko ornament(鯱の飾り)
Shachihoko roof decoration(鯱の屋根飾り)

Cultural background

FAQ

鯱 (shachihoko) is a mythical hybrid creature in Japanese folklore, part tiger and part carp.
Traditionally used as roof ornaments on Japanese castles and temples, believed to provide protection against fire.
The character 鮱 is specifically a Japanese-made character (kokuji) used primarily in this context.

鮱 (lǎo) - A Japanese kokuji (国字) character used in the