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ハス (はす, hasu) Japanese meaning: lotus | Kotomora

ハス

also: はちす

は

す

Common word›JLPTN1›Freq.FrequencyTop 5,000

Meanings

1

lotus; sacred lotus; Indian lotus

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the aquatic plant Nelumbo nucifera, known for its large, beautiful flowers and religious significance in Buddhism.

池いけにハスの花はなが咲さいている。

Lotus flowers are blooming in the pond.

ハスの根ねはレンコンとして食たべられる。

The lotus root is eaten as renkon.

2

usually written using kana alone

Only when written 蓮 · Only with reading はちす

Rare, obsolete usage referring to Hibiscus syriacus, distinct from the common lotus meaning. Only used with the reading はちす.

See also: ムクゲ

古ふるい文ぶん献けんでは、蓮はちすがムクゲを指さすことがある。
In old texts, 蓮 (はちす) can refer to the rose of Sharon.

Usage patterns

〈場ば所しょ〉に蓮はすが咲さくlotus flowers bloom at a place
夏なつになると、この池いけに蓮はすが咲さく。
When summer comes, lotus flowers bloom in this pond.

Expressions

蓮はすの実みlotus seed; lotus nut
泥でい中ちゅうの蓮はすa lotus in the mire; a rose among nettles; something pure amidst filth
蓮はす根ね掘ほるdig up lotus roots

Kanji

蓮lotus
藕lotus, lotus root, arrowroot

Related words

ムクゲ sense 2
蓮 (ハス) read as はちす once meant rose of Sharon, a sense now considered obsolete and expressed instead with 木槿 (ムクゲ).
ロータス
蓮 is the native Japanese word for the lotus plant, used in traditional, botanical, and everyday contexts, while ロータス is a loanword favored in modern, commercial, or design-related contexts such as product names.

Don't confuse with

睡すい蓮れん sense 1
蓮 (ハス) holds its large leaves and flowers well above the water on tall stalks, while 睡蓮 (すいれん) is a water lily whose leaves and blooms float flat on the surface.
レンコン sense 1
蓮 (ハス) refers to the whole lotus plant, while レンコン is specifically the edible root sold as a vegetable.

Counted with

本ほんN5
As a plant, 蓮 (lotus) is naturally counted with 本, e.g. for its long stems.

Word family· 7

蓮はす池いけ
lotus pond
ハスイモ
giant elephant ear; Colocasia gigantea
蓮はす葉は
lotus leaf · vulgar; wanton; coarse
蓮はす餅もち
lotus root-starch dumpling

Written forms

ハスUsage36%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common for the plant name; usually written in kana.
蓮Usage49%
- はす
  Kanji spelling is also used, especially in formal or literary contexts.

Etymology

はす is a contracted form of the older はちす, historically associated with 蜂巣 because the lotus seed head resembles a honeycomb.

オニバス

prickly waterlily; Euryale ferox

Show 2 more

蓮はすっ葉ぱ
vulgar; wanton; coarse
蓮はす見み白じろ
hasumijiro camellia

はちす

out-dated reading

Obsolete reading for the rose of Sharon sense.

はすUsage14%

Hiragana spelling is also common.

はちすUsage1%

out-dated reading

藕はす

rarely-used kanji form

Rarely used kanji form.