野狐

野狐

1. (literary or dialectal) fox
   • 308 CE, 竺法護, transl., 《普曜經》 :

     無數野狐而鳴呼，不如一勇師子吼。 [MSC, trad.]
     无数野狐而鸣呼，不如一勇师子吼。 [MSC, simp.]

     Wúshù yěhú ér mínghū, bùrú yī yǒng shīzi hǒu.

     The barking of numerous foxes cannot compare to the roar of a mighty lion.

2. Short for 野狐禪／野狐禅 (yěhúchán, “heresy”).

Appears to be a Japanese coinage from Middle Chinese-derived components.

• (Tokyo) やこ (Atamadaka – )^[1]
• IPA^(key):

野(や)狐(こ) • (yako) 

1. a wild fox
2. a mythological spirit fox, fond of tricks and pranks, and capable of possessing people
3. (Zen) someone who has not fully attained enlightenment, but puts on airs and becomes self-important as if they have

Compound of 野 (no, “field; wilderness”) +‎ 狐 (kitsune, “fox”).^[2] The kitsune changes to gitsune as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

• (Tokyo) のぎつね (Nakadaka – )^[1]
• IPA^(key):

野(の)狐(ぎつね) • (nogitsune) 

1. a wild fox
2. a mythological spirit fox, fond of tricks and pranks, and capable of possessing people

• 野狐 on the Japanese Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^ja
• Yako (fox) [mythological] on Wikipedia.Wikipedia