noun
oak; Japanese oak
Refers to oak trees, especially Quercus serrata, a common deciduous oak in Japan. Often used in compound words like なら林 (oak forest) or in place names.
ならの木は秋にどんぐりをつける。
Oak trees produce acorns in autumn.
この山にはなら林が広がっている。
An oak forest spreads across this mountain.
The word なら is native Japanese. The kanji 楢, 柞, and 枹 are all used for oak species, but the exact historical derivation of the word is uncertain.