noun
Refers to true mosses (bryophytes) in botanical contexts, and commonly to any small, soft green plant growing on surfaces.
庭の石に苔が生えている。
Moss is growing on the stones in the garden.
苔の上を歩くと滑りやすい。
It's slippery when you walk on moss.
noun
moss-like plants; bryophytes; lichens
Broadly includes other small plants and organisms that resemble moss, such as liverworts, lichens, and tiny flowering plants. Common in everyday, non-technical usage.
この緑色のものは苔の一種ですか？
Is this green stuff a kind of moss?
岩の表面に苔のようなものがびっしりついている。
The rock surface is covered with something like moss.
Rare kanji variant, often associated with lichens or hanging moss-like plants.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 苔 has been used for moss since ancient times, but the Japanese word こけ is likely native and not derived from Chinese.