蒟
devil's tongue (plant)
Readings
On'yomi
- コン
- ク
Kun'yomi
—
Meaning
蒟 refers specifically to the konjac plant (devil's tongue), a plant known for its starchy corm used in Japanese cuisine. The meaning is a single concrete plant reference rather than a broad conceptual center.
Most common words using 蒟
- 蒟蒻こんにゃく
konnyaku (Amorphophallus konjac); konjac; devil's tongue
- スマトラ大蒟蒻スマトラおおこんにゃく
titan arum (Amorphophallus titanum); corpse flower; carrion flower
- 刺青蒟蒻鯵いれずみこんにゃくあじ
ragfish (Icosteus aenigmaticus)
- 蒟蒻ゼリーこんにゃくゼリー
fruit jelly (gelled with konjac starch); fruit jello
- 蒟蒻本こんにゃくぼん
Japanese book size (approx. 12.5cm by 17.5cm)
- 蒟醤きんま
betel (Piper betle)
Study
Etymology
蒟 combines the plant radical 艹 with the phonetic component 竘, which likely provides the sound and relates to the konjac plant. The exact historical development of the phonetic component is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass top 艹 marks this as a plant. Below it, 竘 looks like a container (勹) holding something standing (立) and a mouth (口), like the starchy corm of the devil's tongue plant being stored and eaten.
Reading mnemonic
For コン, imagine a cone-shaped konjac jelly: cone -> コン, and the plant 蒟 produces the starchy base for that jelly.