raw cotton; cotton wool
Refers to cotton in its raw, unprocessed form, or as a fluffy material used for padding, stuffing, or medical purposes.
Cotton cultivation is thriving in this region.
傷口に綿花を当てて止血した。
I applied cotton wool to the wound to stop the bleeding.
Standard kanji spelling, common in news and general writing.
Alternate kanji form using 棉; less common than 綿花.
Sino-Japanese compound from 綿 (めん, 'cotton') and 花 (か, 'flower'), referring to the cotton flower or the raw cotton boll.