Save Gender Feminine Usage Japanese Scripts 火垂子, 蛍子, etc.(Japanese Kanji) Pronounced Pron. HO-TAH-ṘUU-KO [key] Meaning & History From Japanese 火 (ho) meaning "fire", 垂 (taru) meaning "suspend, dangle, hang" or 蛍 (hotaru) meaning "firefly" combined with 子 (ko) meaning "child". Other kanji combinations are possible.