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Kotomora

松

pine tree

JLPTN1StatusJōyō · grade 4FrequencyTop 500Strokes8

Readings

On'yomi

  • ショウ

Kun'yomi

  • まつ

Nanori

  • おお
  • しょ
  • ま
  • まっ

Meaning

松 centers on the pine tree, an evergreen conifer with needle-like leaves and distinctive cones.

Most common words using 松

20 of 196
  • 松まつ
    N3

    pine tree (Pinus spp.)

  • 浜松はままつ

    Hamamatsu (city)

  • 松山まつやま

    Matsuyama (city in Ehime)

  • 高松たかまつ

    Takamatsu (city in Kagawa)

  • 小松こまつ

    small pine; young pine

  • 松原まつばら

    pine grove

  • 松江まつえ

    Matsue (city in Shimane)

  • 松屋まつや

    Matsuya

  • 赤松あかまつ

    Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora); Japanese umbrella pine; tanyosho pine

  • 若松わかまつ

    young pine (tree)

  • 松皮まつかわ

    barfin flounder (Verasper moseri)

  • 小松菜こまつな

    Japanese mustard spinach (Brassica rapa var. perviridis)

  • 松茸まつたけ

    matsutake mushroom (Tricholoma matsutake)

  • 松葉まつば

    pine needle

  • 市松いちまつ

    check (pattern)

  • 松明たいまつ

    torch (made of pine, bamboo, reed, etc.); flambeau; torchlight

  • 松風まつかぜ

    (sound of) wind blowing through pine trees

  • 松葉杖まつばづえ

    crutch; crutches

  • 松林まつばやし

    pine forest

  • 松坂屋まつざかや

    Matsuzakaya (major Japanese department store chain)

Explore all words using 松 →

Study

Etymology

松 combines 木 (tree) with 公, which likely contributes the sound and may suggest the tree's upright, public presence. The exact historical role of 公 is uncertain.

Meaning mnemonic

A tree 木 with a public 公 presence: the pine tree stands tall and recognizable, like a public landmark.

Reading mnemonic

For ショウ, imagine a pine tree casting a long shadow: shadow -> ショウ, and the pine tree's shadow stretches across the ground.