noun
louse; lice
Refers to parasitic sucking lice (order Phthiraptera), especially those infesting humans and other mammals. Often used in compounds like アタマジラミ (head louse) or ケジラミ (pubic louse).
子供の髪にシラミが見つかった。
Lice were found in the child's hair.
シラミは吸血してかゆみを引き起こす。
Lice suck blood and cause itching.
Kanji form; rarely used in modern writing. The reading しし is obsolete.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Variant kanji form; very rare.
The origin is uncertain. The word is native Japanese, and the kanji 虱 and 蝨 are Chinese characters adopted for their meaning.