also: つづら
noun
kudzu; Japanese arrowroot
Only with reading くず / クズ
Refers to the kudzu plant, especially the vine or the root used to make 葛粉. The usual reading is くず.
葛の根から葛粉を作る。
Kudzu starch is made from kudzu roots.
山道の脇に葛のつるが伸びていた。
Kudzu vines were spreading beside the mountain path.
noun
Chinese moonseed
Only when written 葛 · Only with reading つづら
Rare botanical use with the reading つづら, effectively referring to つづらふじ, Chinese moonseed, not the common kudzu sense read くず.
See also: 葛藤 (つづらふじ)
植物名としての葛は、つづらふじを指す。
As a plant name, 葛 read tsuzura refers to Chinese moonseed.
Attested katakana no-kanji form; useful in plant-name contexts. This word does not cover the homophonous slang or noun 屑.
The kanji 葛 is conventionally associated with kudzu or arrowroot-like vines. The historical derivation of the Japanese readings is uncertain.