Alternate kanjis for baku:
獏, 貘
Definitions of baku from the Daijirin
Japanese dictionary, translated by me:
- A tapir.
- An imaginary creature from China, which has a body similar to that of a bear, a snout similar to that of an elephant, eyes similar to that of a rhinoceros, a tail similar to that of a cow, and feet similar to that of a tiger. Said to eat people's bad dreams.
The myth of baku is not part of traditional Japanese culture, but it has gained popularity in
pop culture, such as
anime,
manga, and other works of fiction. Since definition 2 of baku is fictionary, there are many alternated definitions for what baku looks like, and what it does. For example, one kind of baku may appear in a
nightmare and
gobble it up while the person is still
sleeping. The awoken person will not remember the event.