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生け花 (いけばな) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

生いけ花ばな

also: せいか

い

け

ば

な

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

ikebana; Japanese flower arrangement

Only with reading いけばな

Refers to the traditional Japanese art of arranging flowers, emphasizing line, balance, and harmony. Often used in cultural contexts.

母ははは毎まい週しゅう生いけ花ばな教きょう室しつに通かよっている。
My mother attends an ikebana class every week.
床とこの間まに

生い

け

花ばな

が

飾かざ

っ

て

ある

。

An ikebana arrangement is displayed in the alcove.

2

noun

fresh flower; natural flower

Only with reading せいか

Used to refer to a living, natural flower, as opposed to an artificial one. Reading is せいか.

生せい花かを花か瓶びんに生いける。
I arrange fresh flowers in a vase.
この店みせでは生せい花かのみを扱あつかっています。
This shop deals only in fresh flowers.

Written forms

生いけ花ばなUsage28%
Standard kanji spelling for ikebana; high priority.
生花Usage47%
- いけばな
  Common variant for ikebana; also read せいか for 'fresh flower'.
- せいか
  Standard spelling for 'fresh flower' reading せいか.
いけばなUsage23%
活花Usage2%
rarely-used kanji form
- いけばな
  Rarely used kanji form for ikebana; also read せいか for 'fresh flower'.
- せいか
  Rarely used kanji form for 'fresh flower' reading せいか.
活いけ花ばなUsage<1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form for ikebana.
せいか

Kanji

生life, genuine, birth
花flower
活lively, resuscitation, being helped

Similar words

華か道どう
華道 is the formal term for the art of flower arrangement, often used in traditional contexts, while 生け花 is the more common, everyday term.
フラワーアレンジメント
フラワーアレンジメント refers to Western-style flower arranging, which differs from 生け花 in style and philosophy.

Etymology

Compound of 生け (ike, 'arranging, keeping alive') + 花 (hana, 'flower'), with rendaku voicing. The spelling 生花 is also used for the on'yomi reading せいか meaning 'fresh flower'.