韮
leek
Readings
On'yomi
- キュウ
- ク
Kun'yomi
- にら
Meaning
韮 refers specifically to the leek plant, a vegetable with long flat leaves. There are no extended abstract meanings.
Most common words using 韮
- 韮にら
garlic chives (Allium tuberosum); Chinese chives; Chinese leek
- 辣韮らっきょう
Chinese onion (Allium chinense); Chinese scallion; Kiangsi scallion; rakkyo
- レバ韮レバにら
stir-fry of pork liver and garlic chives
- 小韮こみら
Chinese chive; garlic chive (Allium tuberosum)
- 山辣韮やまらっきょう
Japanese onion (Allium thunbergii)
- 水韮みずにら
Japanese quillwort (Isoetes japonica)
- 韮葉蘭にらばらん
Microtis unifolia (species of orchid)
- 韮葱にらねぎ
broadleaf wild leek (Allium ampeloprasum)
Study
Etymology
韮 combines the grass radical 艹 with 韭, which itself depicts a type of allium plant. The character likely originated as a way to specify the leek among similar plants.
Meaning mnemonic
The grass radical 艹 sits above 韭, a shape that resembles a bundle of long leaves growing from the ground. Together they make the leek plant.
Reading mnemonic
For キュウ, imagine a leek shaped like the letter Q: Q -> キュウ, and the leek's curved stalk reminds you of the reading.