藁
straw
Readings
On'yomi
- コウ
Kun'yomi
- わら
Meaning
藁 centers on dried plant stalks used as material: straw, especially for thatching, fodder, or crafts.
Most common words using 藁
20 of 31- 藁わらN1
straw
- 藁しべわらしべ
central stalk of a dried rice plant
- 寝藁ねわら
(stable) litter
- 巻藁まきわら
straw post for training sword strikes, karate punches and arrow hits
- 巻藁矢まきわらや
close-range fletched practice arrow
- 敷き藁しきわら
(animal's) litter; bedding
- 新藁しんわら
new straw; straw from the current year
- 溺れる者は藁をも掴むおぼれるものはわらをもつかむ
a drowning man will clutch at a straw
- 草藁くさわら
grass and straw (as fodder for horses, etc.)
- 藁で束ねても男は男わらでたばねてもおとこはおとこ
rich or poor, a man is a man; a man whose hair is tied with straw is still a man
- 藁にもすがるわらにもすがる
to grasp at straws; to resort to desperate measures
- 藁にもすがる思いでわらにもすがるおもいで
hoping against hope; desperately hoping; as a last hope
- 藁をもすがるわらをもすがる
to grasp at straws; to resort to desperate measures
- 藁をも掴むわらをもつかむ
to grasp at straws; to resort to desperate measures
- 藁人形わらにんぎょう
straw doll; straw figure; straw effigy
- 藁仕事わらしごと
making things out of straw (winter work for farmers)
- 藁塚わらづか
mound of straw; pile of straw
- 藁婚式わらこんしき
straw wedding (anniversary); second wedding anniversary
- 藁屋根わらやね
straw-thatched roof
- 藁布団わらぶとん
straw futon; straw mattress; palliasse
Study
Etymology
藁 combines 艹 (grass) with 高 and 木, suggesting tall grass or plant material used for straw. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
The top 艹 is grass, and below it 高 (tall) sits over 木 (tree/wood). Picture tall dried grass stalks bundled like wood: that's straw.
Reading mnemonic
For コウ, imagine a cow (コウ) chewing on a bundle of straw: cow -> コウ, and the straw feeds the cow.