蔦
vine, ivy
Readings
On'yomi
- チョウ
Kun'yomi
- つた
Nanori
- たつ
Meaning
蔦 centers on climbing plants that spread and cling: vines, especially ivy.
Most common words using 蔦
- 蔦つた
ivy (esp. Boston ivy, Parthenocissus tricuspidata)
- 括れ蔦くびれづた
sea grapes (Caulerpa lentillifera); green caviar
- 木蔦きづた
Hedera rhombea (species of ivy)
- 蔦漆つたうるし
Asian poison ivy (Rhus ambigua)
- 蔦紅葉つたもみじ
maple; scarlet-tinged ivy
- 蔦葉貝つたのはがい
Penepatella stellaeformis (species of limpet)
- 蔦蔓つたかずら
ivy and vines; creepers
- 豆蔦まめづた
green penny fern (Lemmaphyllum microphyllum)
- 豆蔦蘭まめづたらん
Bulbophyllum drymoglossum (species of orchid)
- 黒木蔦くろきづた
Caulerpa scalpelliformis (species of green alga)
Study
Etymology
蔦 combines the grass radical 艹 with 鳥, which likely provides the sound. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the structure suggests a plant name.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above a bird 鳥. Imagine a vine so thick and tangled that birds nest in it: 蔦 is a vine or ivy.
Reading mnemonic
For チョウ, picture a long vine shaped like a chou (ちょ) curl, with a bird perched on it: chou -> チョウ, and the vine twists like the hiragana ちょ.