What's bugging the Japanese language?


In my JLPT workbook, it has a section which gives a list of idioms that use
`[虫]{むし}`.

> 仕事{しごと}の **虫** (worker bee)
>
> 点取{てんとり} **虫** (derogatory term for a student who tries too hard)
>
> **虫** がいい (selfish)
>
> 泣{な}き **虫** (cry baby)
>
> 弱{よわ} **虫** (weakling)
>
> 腹{はら}の **虫** がおさまらない (extremely angry)
>
> **虫** が知{し}らせる (forebode)
>
> **虫** が好{す}かない (antipathy to)
>
> **虫** の居所{いどころ}が悪{わる}い (in a bad mood)
>
> 娘{むすめ}に悪{わる}い **虫** がつく (daughter has a lousy boyfriend)

I'm curious about the origins of the "bug" being used in these phrases.

In one sense, some of them are evocative of a sort of character, a "bug" that
is present when things are bad, when there's a sense of foreboding, when one
feels down. Almost like the bug is an entity that causes trouble wherever it
goes.

In another sense, sometimes the person being described _is_ the "bug", as if
they have become the "bug" by being weak, by being a drone, by being a whiner,
or whatever the case is.

So, do some or all of these uses of `虫` come from the same origin?

What exactly is "the bug" when it's the first sense of a character that is
present, such as when it's "in the stomach"?

* * *

**Bonus questions:**

Is there any connection in terms of origins between the phrases
`「腹{はら}の虫がおさまらない」` and `「腹が立つ」`?

Is `「仕事{しごと}の虫」` equivalent to "workaholic"? Or does it not have negative
connotations of over-work?

Is `「点取{てんとり}虫」` equivalent to "teacher's pet"? Or does sucking up to the
teacher having no relation?




According to the [Wikipedia article for
`虫`](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%99%AB):

  1. `体内の架空、仮想の生物の意味で用いるもの。`  
Used for the meanings of "imaginary inside the body, imaginary creatures":

>     * 三尸{さんし}の虫: A [庚申{こうしん}](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dshin)
> belief originating from Taoism from China that inside the bodies of humans
> there are three bugs.
>
>     * 虫の知らせ: A premonition. As if given a prediction by the inner-body
> "bugs", a feeling about things that aren't generally known and events that
> will occur in a distant place.
>
>     * 虫が（の）いい: Only think about oneself (selfish.)
>
>     * 虫の居所が悪い: In a bad mood. This is because it was believed that unless
> the inner-body "bugs" settled down, the person's mood would worsen.
>
>     * 虫が（の）好かない: Something (you) don't like.
>
>     * 獅子身中の虫: Though a friend, has an element that does harm (treacherous
> friend.)
>
>     * 腹の虫が治まらない: Cannot contain one's anger.
>
>     * 腹の虫が鳴く: The sound which comes out of your stomach when you're hungry.

  2. `実際の虫のイメージで用いるもの。`  
Used the way the image of bugs is in reality:

>     * 虫の息: At death's door. Originates from the the fact that breath is
> small like a small bug or creature, but isn't necessarily used to refer to
> breath in reality.
>
>     * 悪い虫が付く: To get involved with an unsavory/bad person.
>
>     * 虫酸が走る: To be disgusted.
>
>     * 虫も殺さぬ: Obedient and quiet ("wouldn't hurt a fly.")
>
>     * 飛んで火に[入]{い}る夏の虫: Jump into failure, things that are dangerous to
> oneself. ("like a moth flying into the flame.")
>
>     * 蓼食う虫も好きずき: "To each their own (taste)." From that the leaves of
> [蓼{タデ}](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BF%E3%83%87) have a
> characteristic harsh taste and there virtually aren't any bugs which eat
> them, but there are some which are fond of their taste.
>
>     * 一寸の虫にも五分の魂: Even if small, has power and presence ("tread on a worm
> and it will turn.")

  3. `他に、嫌な人の意味で使う事もある。`  
Otherwise used to refer to a detestable person:

>     * 弱虫: A weak-hearted person.
>
>     * 泣き虫: Someone easily moved to tears.
>
>     * 点取り虫: A derogatory term for someone who gets high scores in school
> exams (I'm guessing it doesn't mean "teacher's pet". Space ALC defines it as
> "grade grabber" and "obsessed with grades".)

* * *

The Gogen-allguide article for [虫の知らせ](http://gogen-
allguide.com/mu/mushinoshirase.html) seems to back up the Wikipedia article.
It says that the `虫` in those expressions refers to the `三尸{さんし}`/`三虫{さんちゅう}`
bugs that influence subconscious awareness and feelings/emotions and
corroborates that `虫の知らせ`, `虫がいい` and `腹の虫が治まらない` have that etymology.

According to the etymology page for [虫唾が走る](http://gogen-
allguide.com/mu/mushizu.html), `虫唾` comes from the acidic liquid that comes
from your stomach out of your mouth while feeling nauseous in your chest, and
the `走る` refers to it coming out of your mouth. In other words, something
that's as unpleasant as the acidic liquid coming out of your mouth. There are
theories of the etymology coming due to saliva that comes up out of your
stomach output by parasites as well as acidic liquid due to parasites. For
that reason, it can be written as `虫唾` (bug saliva) and `虫酸` (bug acid) and
historically has been written as both `むしづ` and `むしず`.

The page for the etymology of [腹](http://gogen-
allguide.com/ha/hara_karada.html) says that in ancient times it was thought
that one's mind was inside the abdomen/stomach, so it says a lot of words use
`腹` to mean emotions/feelings and I think it's likely that might be the root
of `腹が立つ` rather than `虫`.

* * *

**EDIT:** Removed the Kanjigen section as I wasn't sure of it's accuracy and
added a section on `虫唾が走る`.




According to the [Wikipedia article for
`虫`](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%99%AB):

  1. `体内の架空、仮想の生物の意味で用いるもの。`  
Used for the meanings of "imaginary inside the body, imaginary creatures":

>     * 三尸{さんし}の虫: A [庚申{こうしん}](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dshin)
> belief originating from Taoism from China that inside the bodies of humans
> there are three bugs.
>
>     * 虫の知らせ: A premonition. As if given a prediction by the inner-body
> "bugs", a feeling about things that aren't generally known and events that
> will occur in a distant place.
>
>     * 虫が（の）いい: Only think about oneself (selfish.)
>
>     * 虫の居所が悪い: In a bad mood. This is because it was believed that unless
> the inner-body "bugs" settled down, the person's mood would worsen.
>
>     * 虫が（の）好かない: Something (you) don't like.
>
>     * 獅子身中の虫: Though a friend, has an element that does harm (treacherous
> friend.)
>
>     * 腹の虫が治まらない: Cannot contain one's anger.
>
>     * 腹の虫が鳴く: The sound which comes out of your stomach when you're hungry.

  2. `実際の虫のイメージで用いるもの。`  
Used the way the image of bugs is in reality:

>     * 虫の息: At death's door. Originates from the the fact that breath is
> small like a small bug or creature, but isn't necessarily used to refer to
> breath in reality.
>
>     * 悪い虫が付く: To get involved with an unsavory/bad person.
>
>     * 虫酸が走る: To be disgusted.
>
>     * 虫も殺さぬ: Obedient and quiet ("wouldn't hurt a fly.")
>
>     * 飛んで火に[入]{い}る夏の虫: Jump into failure, things that are dangerous to
> oneself. ("like a moth flying into the flame.")
>
>     * 蓼食う虫も好きずき: "To each their own (taste)." From that the leaves of
> [蓼{タデ}](http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%BF%E3%83%87) have a
> characteristic harsh taste and there virtually aren't any bugs which eat
> them, but there are some which are fond of their taste.
>
>     * 一寸の虫にも五分の魂: Even if small, has power and presence ("tread on a worm
> and it will turn.")

  3. `他に、嫌な人の意味で使う事もある。`  
Otherwise used to refer to a detestable person:

>     * 弱虫: A weak-hearted person.
>
>     * 泣き虫: Someone easily moved to tears.
>
>     * 点取り虫: A derogatory term for someone who gets high scores in school
> exams (I'm guessing it doesn't mean "teacher's pet". Space ALC defines it as
> "grade grabber" and "obsessed with grades".)

* * *

The Gogen-allguide article for [虫の知らせ](http://gogen-
allguide.com/mu/mushinoshirase.html) seems to back up the Wikipedia article.
It says that the `虫` in those expressions refers to the `三尸{さんし}`/`三虫{さんちゅう}`
bugs that influence subconscious awareness and feelings/emotions and
corroborates that `虫の知らせ`, `虫がいい` and `腹の虫が治まらない` have that etymology.

According to the etymology page for [虫唾が走る](http://gogen-
allguide.com/mu/mushizu.html), `虫唾` comes from the acidic liquid that comes
from your stomach out of your mouth while feeling nauseous in your chest, and
the `走る` refers to it coming out of your mouth. In other words, something
that's as unpleasant as the acidic liquid coming out of your mouth. There are
theories of the etymology coming due to saliva that comes up out of your
stomach output by parasites as well as acidic liquid due to parasites. For
that reason, it can be written as `虫唾` (bug saliva) and `虫酸` (bug acid) and
historically has been written as both `むしづ` and `むしず`.

The page for the etymology of [腹](http://gogen-
allguide.com/ha/hara_karada.html) says that in ancient times it was thought
that one's mind was inside the abdomen/stomach, so it says a lot of words use
`腹` to mean emotions/feelings and I think it's likely that might be the root
of `腹が立つ` rather than `虫`.

* * *

**EDIT:** Removed the Kanjigen section as I wasn't sure of it's accuracy and
added a section on `虫唾が走る`.

