樺
birch, dark red
Readings
On'yomi
- カ
Kun'yomi
- かば
- かんば
Nanori
- から
- かも
- かん
Meaning
樺 centers on the birch tree, a tree known for its distinctive bark. The dark red meaning likely refers to the reddish-brown hue of birch bark or wood.
Most common words using 樺
20 of 22- 白樺しらかば
Japanese white birch (Betula platyphylla var. japonica)
- 樺かば
birch (esp. Japanese white birch)
- 樺太からふと
Karafuto (Japanese name for Sakhalin)
- 在樺コリアンざいかコリアン
Koreans residing on Sakhalin island
- 大樺斑おおかばまだら
monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus)
- 姫樺ひめかんば
dwarf birch (Betula nana)
- 岳樺だけかんば
Erman's birch (Betula ermanii); Russian rock birch
- 樺のあな茸かばのあなたけ
chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus)
- 樺の木かばのき
birch tree (esp. the Japanese white birch, Betula platyphylla var. japonica)
- 樺太千島交換条約からふとちしまこうかんじょうやく
Treaty of Saint Petersburg (1875); Russo-Japanese treaty in which Japan exchanged Sakhalin for the Kuril Islands
- 樺太柳葉魚からふとししゃも
capelin; caplin (Mallotus villosus)
- 樺太梟からふとふくろう
great grey owl (Strix nebulosa)
- 樺太犬からふとけん
Sakhalin husky (dog breed)
- 樺太雷鳥からふとらいちょう
willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus); red grouse
- 樺太鱒からふとます
pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha); humpback salmon
- 樺太鷲からふとわし
greater spotted eagle (Aquila clanga)
- 樺桜かばざくら
ornamental variety of double weeping rosebud cherry
- 樺色かばいろ
reddish yellow
- 樺黄小町蜘蛛かばきこまちぐも
Japanese foliage spider (Chiracanthium japonicum)
- 欧州白樺おうしゅうしらかんば
European silver birch (Betula pendula); European white birch
Study
Etymology
樺 combines 木 (tree) with 華, which likely contributes the sound カ and may also suggest the birch's showy or colorful bark, though the exact historical motivation is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
A tree 木 with a showy, flowery 華 appearance: the birch tree stands out with its striking bark, like a flower among trees.
Reading mnemonic
For カ, imagine a birch tree with bark that looks like it's covered in colorful cars: car -> カ, and the birch tree is the canvas.