蛍草

Japanese

Etymology 1

Kanji in this term
蛍	草
ほたる Grade: S	くさ > ぐさ Grade: 1
kun'yomi

Alternative spelling
螢草 (kyūjitai)

Literally, “firefly grass”, 蛍(ほたる) (hotaru, “firefly”) + 草(くさ) (kusa, “grass, plant”). The kusa changes to gusa as an instance of rendaku (連濁).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ho̞ta̠ɾɯ̟ɡɯ̟sa̠]

Noun

蛍(ほたる)草(ぐさ) • (hotarugusa) 

1. Synonym of 露草 (tsuyukusa, “Asiatic dayflower, Commelina communis”)
2. Synonym of 蛍柴胡 (hotaru saiko, “Bupleurum longiradiatum var. elatius”)

Etymology 2

Kanji in this term
蛍	草
ほたる Grade: S	そう Grade: 1
yutōyomi

Alternative spelling
螢草 (kyūjitai)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ho̞ta̠ɾɯ̟so̞ː]

Noun

蛍(ほたる)草(そう) • (hotarusō) 

1. Synonym of 蛍柴胡 (hotaru saiko, “Bupleurum longiradiatum var. elatius”)
2. Synonym of 一人静 (hitorishizuka, “Chloranthus quadrifolius”)
3. Synonym of 蛍葛 (hotarukazura, “Lithospermum zollingeri”)