# tassu/käpälä



## akana

Is there any difference between the words _tassu_ and _käpälä_? For example, would you use a different one when referring to different animals? As far as I can tell, they both translate as "paw" in English.


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## etrade

Same meaning but cute little have _tassu_ and ugly big one have _käpälä_ . Children would use _tassu_.


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## Gavril

etrade said:


> Same meaning but cute little have _tassu_ and ugly big one have _käpälä_ . Children would use _tassu_.



The verb _käpälöidä_ is translated "to paw". Is there any corresponding verb for _tassu_?

How would these sentences sound?

_Iso karhu käpälöi mehiläispesää.

Orava käpälöi mäntykäpyä.

Kissanpoikanen käpälöi lankakerää.

Lapset, lopettakaa piirakkoiden käpälöiminen! Eihän ole vielä ruoka-aika!_


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## etrade

I think _käpälöidä_ is usually sexsual harasment but children do not understand where they put their fingers and animals are in the same level.

_Tassu_ word suits in childrens mouth.


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## Ригель

Gavril said:


> The verb _käpälöidä_ is translated "to paw". Is there any corresponding verb for _tassu_?



_Käpälöidä_ could also be translated _to grope_. No verbs for _tassu_ that I can think of.



Gavril said:


> _Iso karhu käpälöi mehiläispesää.
> 
> Orava käpälöi männynkäpyä.
> 
> Kissanpoikanen käpälöi lankakerää.
> 
> Lapset, lopettakaa piirakkoiden käpälöiminen! Eihän vielä ole ruoka-aika!_



Concerning the difference between the two words, I would agree that _tassu_ sounds cute and _käpälä_ neutral but I find that you can use _tassu_ only with cats and dogs, maybe with bears if I strech my imagination. _Käpälä_ goes for all animals with paws.

Some specific words that employ _käpälä_:

Kissankäpälä -- _Antennaria dioica_ or Stoloniferous pussytoes (one name for the plant)
Jäniksenkäpälä -- Rabbit's foot, an amulet of good luck.


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## sammio

Of course there is a verb derived from _tassu_: _tassutella_. It simply refers to the walking of someone who has pawns. Though even people can _tassutella_ if he/she goes with short and a bit stiff steps, or otherwise just in a cute way.


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