# tanuki

> English word · Noun · IPA /təˈnʊkɪ/ · frequency rank #89,976

## Definitions
1. A raccoon dog, Nyctereutes viverrinus.
2. A folkloric figure in the form of a tanuki, regarded as a shapeshifter and renowned for its enormous scrotum and testicles.
3. The joining of a living bonsai tree to a piece of dead wood for aesthetic effect.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 狸(たぬき) (tanuki, “raccoon dog”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tanuki