Rare Chinese form

A rare form linked to 駝, the Chinese character for camel.

In 駝, 馬 marks the animal category and 它 cues the sound. The Chinese book Classic of Mountains and Seas records 橐駝 (“camel”); the Yupian dictionary, compiled in 543, uses 駝 alone. Other senses include a hunched back and carrying a load.

Does 𱄜 mean giraffe in Japanese?

Only in one historical use of 駝.

One Japanese dictionary reads 駝 as da; the 1847 Japanese herbal book 重訂本草綱目啓蒙 also uses it as another name for giraffe. This is a historical Japanese sense, not a universal reading of 𱄜.