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JLPT N111画 · 11 strokesradical 艸freq #1547

arrowroot, kudzu

On'yomi (音読み)

  • カツ
  • カチ

Kun'yomi (訓読み)

  • つづら
  • くず

Mnemonic

As the kudzu vine (艸) wraps around trees, it pulls them down like an arrow (葛) shot from a bow, showing its strength and resilience.

About this kanji

The kanji 葛 represents the plant known as kudzu or arrowroot. It is typically used as a noun, although some compounds with this kanji can imply actions related to it. A few important compounds include 葛藤 (かっとう), which means "conflict"; 葛粉 (くずこ), referring to "kudzu starch"; and 葛湯 (くずゆ), which is "kudzu starch gruel," a traditional dish. You might also encounter 葛餅 (くずもち), a sweet made from kudzu starch. An interesting note is that kudzu is known for its fast growth, so it can be used metaphorically in conversation to describe situations that escalate quickly.

Example sentences

  • 葛藤することが時に必要だ。

    Sometimes, conflict is necessary.

Meanings across languages

English
arrowroot, kudzu
Tiếng Việt
củ khoai mì
日本語
한국어
中文
id
kudzu
th
ต้นเกตรา
es
yerba kudzu
fr
kudzu
de
Kudzu
pt
kudzu

Common compounds

  • 葛藤かっとうconflict, complication, troubles
  • 葛粉くずこkudzu starch
  • 葛布くずふcloth made from kudzu (Japanese arrowroot) fiber (fibre)
  • 葛湯くずゆkudzu starch gruel
  • 葛餅くずもちkudzu starch cake, pudding-like arrowroot cake
  • 葛餡くずあんkudzu sauce
  • 葛籠つづらwicker clothes hamper
  • 甘葛あまずらjiaogulan (species of herbaceous vine; Gynostemma pentaphyllum), ivy (esp. Boston ivy; Parthenocissus tricuspidata)

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