茅
miscanthus reed
Readings
On'yomi
- ボウ
- ミョウ
Kun'yomi
- かや
- ちがや
Nanori
- ち
- じ
Meaning
茅 centers on a specific type of tall grass: miscanthus reed, a plant used for thatching and other practical purposes.
Most common words using 茅
- 茅かや
grass used for thatching; sedge used for thatching
- 茅場かやば
hayfield; field of miscanthus
- 茅渟ちぬ
black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegeli)
- 茅葺きかやぶき
thatching a roof (with grass); thatched roof
- 茅の輪ちのわ
cogon grass ring (through which people pass during summer purification rites)
- 油茅あぶらがや
abura-gaya (Scirpus wichurai)
- 浅茅あさじ
sparsely growing cogon grass; short cogon grass
- 浅茅生あさじう
broad field of sparsely growing cogon grass
- 瀬戸茅せとがや
Japanese foxtail (Alopecurus japonicus)
- 茅ちがや
cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica)
- 茅台酒マオタイしゅ
maotai (variety of distilled Chinese alcohol)
- 茅屋ぼうおく
thatched cottage; hovel; my humble cottage
- 茅渟鯛ちぬだい
black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegeli)
- 茅潜かやくぐり
Japanese accentor (Prunella rubida)
- 茅舎ぼうしゃ
thatched cottage; hovel; my humble cottage
- 茅茨ぼうし
thatched roof
- 茅葺き屋根かやぶきやね
thatched roof
- 茅門かやもん
thatched-roof gate (used as the entrance to a garden, esp. of a tea ceremony house)
- 鴨茅かもがや
orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata); cat grass
Study
Etymology
茅 combines the grass radical 艹 with 矛, which likely contributes a phonetic element. The character specifically denotes miscanthus reed.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above 矛, a spear-like shape. Imagine a field of tall miscanthus reeds with sharp, spear-like stalks.
Reading mnemonic
For ボウ, picture a bow made from a long miscanthus reed: bow -> ボウ, and the reed bends like a bow.