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Shrimp (えび) is written several different ways in Japanese. For example, there
are the words commonly used in Chinese: 蝦 and 鰕. There is also a compound
specific to Japan, 海老, and a kokuji, 蛯. Both of the latter contain the
character for old age, 老. Is there some reason why the Japanese associate
shrimp with old age?
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2013-03-18T21:38:47.860
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2016-10-18T22:40:15.640
2016-10-18T22:40:15.640
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question
words kanji etymology
What is the connection between shrimp and old age?
The [Japanese Wikipedia page for
エビ](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B5%B7%E8%80%81) says the following:

> 漢字表記の「海老」や「蛯」の字は曲がった腰を老人に見立てたものである。

Apparently the use of 老 comes from the way shrimp bend forward, like an old
person bending forward at the waist.
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2013-03-18T22:07:58.637
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2013-03-18T22:07:58.637
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answer