クビレズタ

also: くびれづた

く

び

れ

ず

た

Meanings

noun

sea grapes; green caviar

usually written using kana alone

A type of edible green seaweed, Caulerpa lentillifera, often called 'sea grapes' or 'green caviar' in English. Commonly eaten in Okinawa and other regions.

Written forms

クビレズタ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common for this biological name. It is usually written in kana.
括れ蔦
- くびれづた
  Kanji spelling; rarely used. The reading くびれづた is the historical/etymological reading, but the modern common reading is くびれずた.
- くびれずた
  irregular kana usage
クビレヅタ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling reflecting the historical reading くびれづた. Included for search compatibility.
くびれづた

Kanji

括fasten, tie up, arrest
蔦vine, ivy

Similar words

海うみ葡萄ぶどう
Synonym; 海葡萄 (うみぶどう) is another common name for the same seaweed, literally 'sea grapes'. クビレズタ is the standard Japanese name, while 海葡萄 is a more descriptive term.

Etymology

The name くびれずた likely derives from くびれ (constriction) + つた (ivy), referring to the constricted, grape-like shape of the seaweed. The exact derivation is uncertain.