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The Japanese name for the raccoon-dog, Nyctereuctes procyonoides. In folklore the animal is credited with supernatural powers, including shapeshifting, money counterfeiting, and most notably of expanding its already very large scrotum to use as a drum or a weapon. Tanuki statues are a popular part of Japanese kitsch, portraying a jolly, plump little anthropomorphization of the creature, usually with a straw hat, a bottle of sake, a purse of bills for his carousing, and of course his big wrinkly testicles dragging on the ground between his feet.
The Studio Ghibli feature Pompoko was never properly imported to the United States due to its copious and unabashed supply of tanuki balls.
by tengu shoes November 08, 2004
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Jun 18 Word of the Day
Adj. Something that is expected to have a long lifespan by virtue of having existed for a long time, based on the lindy effect, named for the New York restaurant Lindy's, coined by Albert Goldman and popularized by Nassim Taleb.
cooking with fire is lindy
by mmebs June 13, 2021
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2
Definition 1. Noun. A small, raccoon-like animal native to Japan.

Definition 2. Descriptor. To be so bold and reckless that you are often running into things that will certainly lead to death.
Playing The Hunter Primal:

Guy 1: the primal T-rex!

Guy 2: I have a bow and 13 arrows; I will kill it

Guy 1: that's it Tanuki
by Yuu-no-hu February 19, 2016
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