Archaic standalone noun for fruit; in modern Japanese, 果物 (くだもの) is the standard word. This sense survives mainly in compound words like 菓子 (かし, confectionery) or 水菓子 (みずがし, fruit).
In old language, 菓 meant fruit, but today 果物 is used.
counter for fruit
Used as a suffix counter for pieces of fruit, especially in formal or written contexts. In casual speech, 個 (こ) is more common.
I bought three apples.
この箱には五菓の桃が入っている。
This box contains five peaches.
General counter used for fruit in everyday speech; 菓 is a more formal or written counter.
sweets; candy; cake; confectionery
confectionery; sweets; candy; cake
confectionery production; confectionery manufacturing
frozen dessert
famous confection; well-known sweet; signature sweet
milk-based candy; sweet made with milk
chilled dessert; frozen dessert
food sold with a toy; toy candy
unusual candy; rare sweet
Kanji form used in compounds and as a counter; standalone use is archaic.
The kanji 菓 is a phono-semantic compound with 艹 (plant) and 果 (fruit). The reading か is the on'yomi. The character originally meant fruit and later extended to confectionery in compounds.
rice cracker
humble refreshments; low-grade refreshments
sweets; confectionery; candy
Christmas cake
tea and sweets; refreshments
tablet candy; lozenge-shaped sweets