蝦蟇

Chinese
For pronunciation and definitions of 蝦蟇 – see 蛤蟆 (“frog; toad; tadpole; etc.”).
(This term is a variant form of 蛤蟆).

Japanese
蝦蟇 (gama, gamagaeru): a Japanese common toad.

Etymology 1
Kanji in this term
蝦 蟇
か > が
Jinmeiyō		 ま
Hyōgaiji
on’yomi
Alternative spelling
蟇

Appears to be borrowed from Middle Chinese 蝦蟇 (MC hae, “toad”, literally “shrimp, prawn + toad”).

Pronunciation

Noun

蝦(が)蟇(ま) or 蝦蟇(ガマ) • (gama) 

  1. a toad
Usage notes

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

Synonyms

Etymology 2
Kanji in this term
蝦 蟇
かまがえる
Jinmeiyō Hyōgaiji
jukujikun

Appears to be a compound of 蟇 (gama, “toad”) +‎ 蛙 (kaeru, “frog”). The kaeru changes to gaeru as an instance of rendaku (連濁). The kanji in this term are reversed as jukujikun (熟字訓) to match the Chinese spelling of the borrowed term gama (see above).

Pronunciation
  • (Tokyo) がまが​える [gàmágáꜜèrù] (Nakadaka – [3])[1]
  • IPA(key): [ɡa̠ma̠ɡa̠e̞ɾɯ̟ᵝ]

Noun

蝦蟇(がまがえる) • (gamagaeru) ←がまがへる (gamagaferu)?

  1. a toad

References
  1. Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
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