河原撫子

Japanese

Kanji in this term
河	原	撫	子
かわ Grade: 5	はら > ら Grade: 2	な(でし) Jinmeiyō	こ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

カワラナデシコ, Dianthus superbus var. longicalycinus

Etymology

Of 河原(かわら) (kawara, “river bed”) + 撫子(なでしこ) (nadeshiko, “pink”), so called because they frequently grow in dry river beds.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ka̠β̞a̠ɾa̠na̠de̞ɕiko̞]

Noun

河(かわ)原(ら)撫(なでし)子(こ) or 河原撫子(カワラナデシコ) • (kawaranadeshiko) 

1. pink, various flowering plants of the genus Dianthus
2. (especially) Dianthus superbus, fringed pink

Usage notes

• As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary).

Related terms

• 撫子(なでしこ) (nadeshiko, “pinks, Dianthus spp.”)
• 大和撫子(やまとなでしこ) (yamatonadeshiko, “pinks; idealized Japanese woman”)
• 石竹(せきちく) (sekichiku, “China pink, Dianthus chinensis”)