Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Get the Kotomora apps for iOS and Android.

Explore Words Kanji Grammar Guides About Support Privacy

Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

月桂樹 (げっけいじゅ) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

げっけいじゅ

げ

っ

け

い

じゅ

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

bay laurel; bay tree; sweet bay; laurel tree

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the tree Laurus nobilis, whose aromatic leaves are used as a culinary herb (bay leaf). The katakana spelling ゲッケイジュ is very common.

庭にわに月げっ桂けい樹じゅを植

う

え

まし

た

。

I planted a bay laurel in the garden.

ゲッケイジュの葉はを乾かん燥そうさせて料りょう理りに使つかいます。

Bay laurel leaves are dried and used in cooking.

Kanji

月month, moon
桂Japanese Judas-tree, cinnamon tree
樹timber, trees, wood

Related words

ローレル
月桂樹 is the native Japanese term for the laurel tree itself, while ローレル is the loanword more often used for its dried leaves as a spice or in Western-style contexts.

Written forms

月げっ桂けい樹じゅ
Standard kanji spelling for the bay laurel tree.
ゲッケイジュ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common in botanical and everyday contexts; usually written in kana.

Etymology

The kanji 月桂樹 literally means 'moon laurel tree,' a direct translation of the Chinese name for the plant. The word is a Sino-Japanese compound (kango).