also: とこう
Asarum nipponicum; wild ginger species
A specific species of wild ginger native to Japan. The name is usually written in katakana as カンアオイ.
Kan-aoi is a perennial plant that grows wild in the mountains of Japan.
Katakana spelling is standard for this plant name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
Alternate kanji spelling with the reading とこう; very rare and mostly found in botanical contexts.
The name カンアオイ (寒葵) literally means 'cold hollyhock', referring to its evergreen leaves that resemble those of the hollyhock and its ability to withstand cold. The alternate reading とこう for 杜衡 is of Chinese origin.