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菊

On'yomi
キク
KIKU

chrysanthemum

Details

Strokes11
Frequency#1287
Radical艸grass(6)

Stroke Order

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Strokes11

Cultural Context

Etymology

Composed of grass and phonetic. Flower blooming in autumn.

Symbolism

Chrysanthemum, imperial, longevity. Represents Japanese imperial crest.

Seasonal

Autumn flower blooming September to November. High status as Chrysanthemum Festival flower and imperial crest. Season of chrysanthemum dolls.

Component Breakdown

菊=
艹匊

grass + 匊

Words & Expressions

Words written with 菊

白菊しらぎくwhite chrysanthemum

Proverbs & Idioms

菊に寄る蝶

きくによるちょう

Butterflies gather to chrysanthemums

People are naturally drawn to excellence

Poetry

和歌(百人一首) (Waka (Hyakunin Isshu))

心あてに 折らばや折らむ 初霜の おきまどはせる 白菊の花

Poem #29 from Hyakunin Isshu

凡河内躬恒Ōshikōchi no Mitsune
10th century

Related Figures & Stories

池田菊苗

Kikunae Ikeda1864–1936

Name contains 菊

Kikunae Ikeda was a Japanese chemist and Tokyo Imperial University professor of chemistry who, in 1908, uncovered the chemical basis of a taste he…

Wikipedia

菊池容斎

Kikuchi Yōsai1788–1878

Name contains 菊

Kikuchi Yōsai , also known as Kikuchi Takeyasu and Kawahara Ryōhei, was a Japanese painter most famous for his monochrome portraits of historical…

Wikipedia

菊川英山

Kikukawa Eizan1787–1867

Name contains 菊

Kikukawa Eizan was a designer of ukiyo-e style Japanese woodblock prints.

Wikipedia

Frequently Asked Questions

What does 菊 mean in Japanese?

菊 means chrysanthemum.

How do you read 菊?

On'yomi: キク (KIKU).

How many strokes does 菊 have?

菊 has 11 strokes. Its radical is 艸 (grass).

Is 菊 a good kanji for a tattoo?

菊 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means chrysanthemum. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.

Explore by meaning:chrysanthemum