fox
狐 centers on the fox as an animal, often associated with cunning or supernatural traits in Japanese folklore.
狐 combines the beast radical 犭 with 瓜, which likely provides the sound. The character originally referred to the fox.
The beast radical 犭 hints at an animal, and the right side 瓜 looks like a melon. Imagine a fox sneaking into a melon patch to steal a melon.
For コ, picture a fox curling up like a small 子 (こ, child) in the melon patch: 子 -> コ, and the fox is as clever as a child.
fox (esp. the red fox, Vulpes vulpes)
fox with supernatural powers; fox spirit
Ezo red fox (Vulpes vulpes schrencki)
old, white fox (trad. said to have supernatural powers)
foxes and tanuki
pale fiery light seen in fields and mountains at night; will-o'-the-wisp; ignis fatuus; elf-fire; fen-fire
rain shower while the sun shines; sun shower
Cape fox (Vulpes chama); cama fox; silver-backed fox
Reynard the Fox (fable)
a god of food
nine-tailed fox; old, golden-furred fox with nine tails and shapeshifting powers used to fool humans; orig. a Chinese mystical beast whose appearance was considered auspicious
fox spirit that possesses people (typical of the Chūgoku region)
werefox
people have sympathy for kindred in distress; when the rabbit dies, the fox grieves
crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus)
Arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus)
to rule a country requires many great men; an expensive fur coat will not be made with a single fox
old fox; old-timer; schemer
(villains) of the same stripe; birds of a feather; foxes of the same hole
benevolent fox (in mythology)