noun
legendary flying-squirrel monster
A yōkai from Japanese folklore, said to resemble a flying squirrel and sometimes associated with strange phenomena.
野衾はムササビに似た妖怪として伝えられている。
The nobusuma is said to be a yōkai resembling a flying squirrel.
noun
Japanese giant flying squirrel
Original meaning; refers to the real animal Petaurista leucogenys. Now mostly replaced by ムササビ in everyday use.
See also: ムササビ
古い文献では、野衾が今のムササビを指していた。
In old documents, nobusuma referred to what is now called musasabi.
noun
dish with cooked fish and chicken
A Japanese dish name; the exact preparation may vary. This is a specialized culinary term.
郷土料理の野衾は、魚と鶏肉を煮込んだものだ。
The local dish nobusuma is made by simmering fish and chicken together.
The modern common name for the Japanese giant flying squirrel; 野衾 is the older, now rare term.
The origin is uncertain; the kanji 野衾 literally suggest 'field' and 'quilt', possibly from the animal's gliding membrane or the yōkai's appearance. The reading のぶすま is native Japanese.