草
grass · weeds · herbs · pasture · write · draft
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of grass and early. Grass growing early.
Symbolism
Grass, grassland, plant. Represents grass.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Walking through grassland
Seasonal
Grass flourishing from spring to summer symbolizes seasonal change. "Kusamoe" (grass sprouting) is a seasonal word for young grass in early spring.
Component Breakdown
top-bottom: grass + 早
Words & Expressions
Four-Character Compounds
浮草稼業
うきくさかぎょう
precarious trade; unstable occupation; itinerant trade
草根木皮
そうこんもくひ
roots of herbs and barks of trees used in Chinese medicine
山川草木
さんせんそうもく
nature; natural scenery
一木一草
いちぼくいっそう
a single tree or blade of grass; every stick and stone (of a place)
魯魚章草
ろぎょしょうそう
miswriting a word; using the wrong kanji to write a word
打草驚蛇
だそうきょうだ
prodding the unknown may bring about unnecessary trouble; brushing a patch of grass may startle a snake
Proverbs & Idioms
草の根を分けても
くさのねをわけても
Even if you have to search through the grass roots
To search thoroughly
Poetry
吹くからに 秋の草木の しをるれば むべ山風を 嵐といふらむ
No sooner does it blow than the autumn grasses wither — no wonder they write the mountain wind as 'storm'.
山里は 冬ぞさびしさ まさりける 人めも草も かれぬと思へば
A mountain village is loneliest in winter, when I think how both the visitors and the grasses have gone.
かくとだに えやはいぶきの さしも草 さしも知らじな もゆる思ひを
I cannot even tell you this much. Like the moxa of Mount Ibuki, you surely do not know how I burn.
夏草や兵どもが夢の跡
Summer grasses — all that is left of the warriors' dreams.
Anime & Manga
ダンジョンに出会いを求めるのは間違っているだろうかⅡ 無人島に薬草を求めるのは間違っているだろうか
Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? II: Is It Wrong to Go Searching for Herbs on a Deserted Island?
A well-known work with 草 in its Japanese title.
Games
ピクミン
Pikmin(2001)
Developer: Nintendo
Action strategy using Pikmin born from 'grass.'
View on Amazon →Related Figures & Stories
後深草天皇
Name contains 草
Emperor Go-Fukakusa was the 89th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.
Wikipedia菱田春草
Name contains 草
Hishida Shunsō was the pseudonym of a Japanese painter from the Meiji period.
Wikipedia草壁皇子
Name contains 草
Prince Kusakabe was a Japanese imperial crown prince from 681 until his death.
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 草 mean in Japanese?
草 means grass, weeds, herbs, pasture, write, draft.
How do you read 草?
On'yomi: ソウ (SOU). Kun'yomi: くさ、くさ-、-ぐさ (kusa, kusa, gusa).
How many strokes does 草 have?
草 has 9 strokes. Its radical is 艸 (grass).
Is 草 a good kanji for a tattoo?
草 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means grass, weeds, herbs, pasture, write, draft. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.