へちま
へ
ち
ま
Meanings
1
sponge gourd; luffa plant
usually written using kana alone
Refers to the plant Luffa aegyptiaca, also known as Egyptian cucumber or Vietnamese luffa. The fruit is used as a vegetable when young and as a sponge when mature.
I'm growing sponge gourds in the garden.
2
loofah; bath sponge
usually written using kana alone
The dried fibrous interior of the mature gourd, used as a scrubbing sponge in the bath.
It feels good to wash your body with a loofah.
3
worthless thing; insignificant thing
usually written using kana alone
Used in idiomatic expressions like へちまもない (utterly worthless) or へちまもあるものか (it's nothing at all). Not used as a standalone noun for 'worthless thing' in modern Japanese.
What he says is completely worthless.