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Kotomora

蒲

bullrush, flag, cattail

StatusJinmeiyōFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes13

Readings

On'yomi

  • ホ
  • ボ
  • フ
  • ブ

Kun'yomi

  • がま
  • かば
  • かま

Meaning

蒲 centers on tall, reed-like water plants: bullrushes, cattails, and similar flags that grow in wet places.

Most common words using 蒲

20 of 36
  • 菖蒲あやめ

    iris (flower)

  • 蒲鉾かまぼこ

    kamaboko; steamed seasoned fish paste, usu. in a semicylindrical shape on a strip of wood and sliced to go in soup, etc.

  • 蒲がま

    common cattail (Typha latifolia); broadleaf cattail; common bulrush; great reedmace

  • 菖蒲しょうぶ

    sweet flag (Acorus calamus); calamus

  • 蒲焼かばやき

    kabayaki; loach or eel dipped and broiled in soy-based sauce

  • 花菖蒲はなしょうぶ

    Japanese iris; blue flag; Iris ensata

  • いずれ菖蒲か杜若いずれあやめかかきつばた

    (of a choice) one being as excellent as the other; both so beautiful it is hard to choose between

  • オランダ菖蒲オランダあやめ

    gladiolus

  • ドイツ菖蒲ドイツあやめ

    German iris (Iris germanica)

  • 伊勢花菖蒲いせはなしょうぶ

    Iris ensata; Ise Japanese iris

  • 六日の菖蒲むいかのあやめ

    something that comes too late to be useful; iris (blooming) on the 6th (i.e. one day too late for the Boy's Day celebration)

  • 匂い菖蒲においしょうぶ

    fragrant iris; sweet flag; orris

  • 坐り蒲団すわりふとん

    zabuton (flat floor cushion used when sitting or kneeling; usu. rectangular)

  • 小蒲こがま

    Typha orientalis

  • 座蒲ざふ

    round cushion used for Zen meditation (traditionally made of woven bulrush leaves)

  • 檜扇菖蒲ひおうぎあやめ

    Arctic iris (Iris setosa)

  • 江戸花菖蒲えどはなしょうぶ

    Iris ensata; Edo Japanese iris

  • 狸菖蒲たぬきおやめ

    wooly frogsmouth (Philydrum lanuginosum); wooly waterlily

  • 白花蒲公英しろばなたんぽぽ

    Taraxacum albidum (species of white dandelion)

  • 筋蒲鉾すじかまぼこ

    gristly fish paste (made of muscle, tendons, skin, etc.)

Explore all words using 蒲 →

Study

Etymology

蒲 combines 艹 (grass/plant) with 浦, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of a waterside location, together suggesting a waterside plant.

Meaning mnemonic

The grass top 艹 sits above 浦, a character associated with a bay or shore. Picture tall cattails growing at the water's edge.

Reading mnemonic

For ホ, imagine a whole field of cattails swaying in the wind, and the sound they make is a soft 'ho': ho -> ホ.