also: こそう
noun
dry grass; dead grass; hay; withered grass
Refers to grass that has dried out or withered, often in fields or as fodder. The gloss 'hay' applies when used as animal feed.
庭の枯れ草を集めて燃やした。
I gathered the dead grass in the garden and burned it.
冬の牧場には枯れ草しかない
In the winter pasture, there is only withered grass.
Less common variant; also has the rare reading こそう.
Rare on'yomi reading; mainly encountered in classical or technical contexts.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling, sometimes used for readability.
干し草 specifically means hay that has been cut and dried for fodder, while 枯れ草 can refer to any naturally withered grass.
Compound of 枯れ (kare, 'withered', the stem of 枯れる) + 草 (kusa, 'grass'). The reading こそう is the on'yomi of the kanji 枯草.