also: ホリー
holly (plant)
Refers specifically to the English holly plant (Ilex aquifolium), often associated with Christmas decorations. The cross-reference 西洋柊 (せいようひいらぎ) is a more descriptive Japanese term.
See also: セイヨウヒイラギ
We decorate with a holly wreath at Christmas.
Used as a noun or prefix in religious contexts, often in compound words like ホーリーナイト (Holy Night) or ホーリーウォーター (holy water).
"Holy Night" is another name for Christmas Eve.
Standard katakana spelling for both the plant and the religious term.
Variant katakana spelling; less common but still encountered.
Loanword from English 'holly' (plant) and 'holy' (religious). The two senses are homophones in English and share the same katakana representation in Japanese.