ガマ

がま
noun
toad
animal-general
1. toad
An amphibian similar to a frog but with drier, warty skin and a stockier body. Commonly appears in folklore and traditional medicine references.
庭(にわ)に大(おお)きなガマがいた。
There was a big toad in the garden.
ガマは皮膚(ひふ)から毒(どく)を出(だ)すことがある。
Toads can secrete poison from their skin.
昔話(むかしばなし)に出(で)てくるガマは、呪術(じゅじゅつ)や妖怪(ようかい)と結(むす)びついたイメージがある。
Toads in old tales are associated with magic and supernatural creatures.

Written in kanji as 蝦蟇(がま) or 蟇(がま), but the katakana form ガマ is by far the most common in modern writing, especially in zoology and casual contexts. Also called ヒキガエル (more standard).

Common collocations

  • ガマ蛙(がえる): toad (compound form, with かえる)
  • ガマの油(あぶら): toad oil (a traditional remedy famously sold by street vendors)
  • ガマ口(ぐち): a coin purse with a metal frame, shaped like a toad's mouth

Similar words

  • ヒキガエル: toad — the more standard term in nature writing
  • カエル: frog — general term; カエル includes both frogs and toads in casual usage
general
Added 2026.6.4 12:10 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
28500/28705_gama