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.
Moss has grown on the stones in the garden.
It's slippery when you walk on moss.
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.
古い神社の屋根は苔で覆われていた。
The old shrine's roof was covered in moss.
Growing moss has recently become my hobby.
地衣類 (lichens) are often casually called 苔 by Japanese speakers, but they are a distinct organism (fungus-algae symbiosis) rather than a true moss.
コケ植物 is the precise botanical term for bryophytes, while 苔 is the everyday word that can loosely include lichens and other moss-like growths as well.
苔 (moss) is pronounced identically to 虚仮 (fool) but is a completely unrelated botanical term.
鱗 can also be read こけ (an old reading for scale/shingle), which is easily confused with 苔 (こけ, moss) despite the two words having completely different meanings.
lingonberry; cowberry
become mossy; get covered in moss · become aged; grow old
haircap moss
reindeer moss; reindeer lichen
moss garden
Standard kanji spelling. Frequently used in botanical and everyday contexts.
Kana spelling is common and often preferred in general writing.
Rare kanji variant specifically for mosses (bryophytes).
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.
hornwort
common liverwort; liverwort
tiny bristle fern; Crepidomanes minutum