菇
mushrooms
Strokes11
Readings
On'yomi
- コ
- ク
Kun'yomi
- からすうり
Meaning
菇 centers on mushrooms as a type of fungus or plant.
Most common words using 菇
- 冬菇どんこ
donko (shiitake variety)
Study
Etymology
菇 combines the grass/plant radical 艹 with 姑, which likely provides the sound. The character is used for mushrooms, a type of plant-like growth.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above 姑, like a mushroom growing out of the ground. Think of a mushroom as a little plant umbrella.
Reading mnemonic
For コ, imagine a small mushroom as a tiny 'co'-conut shell: co -> コ, and the mushroom cap looks like a coconut half.