noun
ramie (plant); ramie fiber
Refers to the plant Boehmeria nivea var. nipononivea and its fiber, used for textiles. Often written in kana.
See also: ラミー
カラムシの繊維は丈夫で、昔から布に使われてきた。
Ramie fiber is strong and has been used for cloth since ancient times.
この地域ではカラムシの栽培が盛んだ。
Ramie cultivation is thriving in this region.
Alternative kanji spelling, also read ちょま or まお.
Katakana spelling is common in botanical contexts and everyday writing.
ラミー is the general term for ramie (Boehmeria nivea), while カラムシ specifically refers to the Japanese variety or its fiber.
The origin of からむし is uncertain. It may be a compound of 幹 (から, 'stem') and 苧 (むし, 'ramie'), but this is not confirmed.