What is the literal translation of 'kujira' (Japanese word for 'whale')

[Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker]

@Atamasama

Kujira means “whale”. What else did you think it might mean?

Or do you think the island nation of Japan was unfamiliar with whales before developing language?

The etymology is unclear. Some speculate it came from “big mouth”, or “black and white”, but all we know for sure is that the word means “whale”.

Thank you. The Japanese etymology was what I was looking for, not the literal translation. My OP was vaguer in print than it was in my head.