海獺

海獺

1. sea otter

Borrowing from Ainu ラッコ (rakko, “otter”).^[1][2] The kanji spelling is from Chinese 海獺 / 海獭 (hǎitǎ), and is jukujikun (熟字訓).

• (Tokyo) らっこ [ràkkó] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• (Tokyo) らっこ [ráꜜkkò] (Atamadaka – [1])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ɾa̠k̚ko̞]

海獺(らっこ) or 海獺(ラッコ) • (rakko) 

1. a sea otter

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

• 獺(うそ) (uso): an otter (usually refers to a river otter, but can also refer to a sea otter; rakko is more common for a sea otter)
• 川獺(かわうそ) (kawauso): a river otter

Compound of 海 (umi, “sea”) +‎ 獺 (uso, “otter”);^[1][2] see 川獺 (kawauso). Possibly from the superficial similarities between sea otters and (particularly young) sea lions.

• (Tokyo) うみうそ [ùmíúsó] (Heiban – [0])^[2]
• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟mʲiɯ̟so̞]

海(うみ)獺(うそ) • (umiuso) 

1. (archaic) a sea lion

The term 海驢 (ashika) is much more common for the sea lion sense.

• 海驢(あしか) (ashika), 葦鹿(あしか) (ashika)

• 海豹(あざらし) (azarashi): a seal

/umiwoso/ → /umioso/

Rare variant of umiuso above.^[1][2] May be the original form.

• IPA^(key): [ɯ̟mʲio̞so̞]

海(うみ)獺(おそ) • (umioso) ^{←うみをそ (umiwoso)?}

1. (rare) a sea lion

From Middle Chinese 海獺 / 海獭 (xoj^X that, literally “sea + otter”). Compare modern Cantonese reading hoi² caat³.

Note that the meaning diverged in Japanese from the original Chinese sense. See umiuso above for more.

• IPA^(key): [ka̠ita̠t͡sɨ]

海(かい)獺(たつ) • (kaitatsu) 

1. (rare) a sea lion
2. (rare) a seal

The term 海驢 (ashika) is much more common for the sea lion sense. The term 海豹 (azarashi) is much more common for the seal sense.

• (sea lion): 海驢(あしか) (ashika), 葦鹿(あしか) (ashika)
• (seal): 海豹(あざらし) (azarashi)

Rare variant of kaitatsu above, using the 慣用音 (kan'yōon) of datsu for the 獺 character.

• IPA^(key): [ka̠ida̠t͡sɨ]

海(かい)獺(だつ) • (kaidatsu) 

1. (very rare, zoology) a sea lion
2. (very rare, zoology) a seal

The term 海驢 (ashika) is much more common for the sea lion sense. The term 海豹 (azarashi) is much more common for the seal sense.

• (sea lion): 海驢(あしか) (ashika), 葦鹿(あしか) (ashika)
• (seal): 海豹(あざらし) (azarashi)

海獺 • (haedal or McCune-Reischauer: haedal or Yale: hāytal) (hangeul 해달)

1. hanja form^? of 해달 (“sea otter”)