柊
holly
JLPTN1StatusJinmeiyōStrokes9
Readings
On'yomi
- シュ
- シュウ
Kun'yomi
- ひいらぎ
Meaning
柊 refers specifically to the holly plant, a spiny-leaved evergreen often associated with winter.
Most common words using 柊
- 柊ひいらぎ
holly olive (Osmanthus heterophyllus); false holly
- 柊南天ひいらぎなんてん
Mahonia japonica; Japanese mahonia
- 柊菜ひいらぎな
mizuna (Brassica rapa var. nipposinica)
- 柊鰯ひいらぎいわし
sardine and holly charm; sardine head and holly branch placed next to the front door during setsubun to ward off demons
- 西洋柊せいようひいらぎ
English holly (Ilex aquifolium)
Study
Etymology
柊 combines 木 (tree) with 冬 (winter), likely indicating a tree associated with winter, fitting the holly's evergreen nature and winter berries.
Meaning mnemonic
A tree 木 that stays green through winter 冬: that's the holly 柊, with its spiky leaves and red berries.
Reading mnemonic
For シュ, imagine a shoe hanging from a holly branch: shoe -> シュ, and the prickly leaves keep it in place.