loosely woven mat; coarse straw mat
Rare term for a rough, loosely woven mat, typically made of straw. Compare with 筵 (むしろ), the common word for a woven mat.
See also: むしろ
In old farmhouses, they spread coarse straw mats on the drying area.
Standard kanji spelling for this rare term.
Variant kanji spelling; 粗 also conveys coarseness.
Compound of 荒 (あら, 'rough, coarse') and 筵 (むしろ, 'woven mat'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word is rare in modern Japanese.