also: もぐら · うぐら
noun
creepers; trailing plants
Refers to various creeping or trailing plants, often used in botanical or poetic contexts. The term is somewhat literary and may appear in classical poetry or nature descriptions.
古い塀に葎が絡まっている。
Creepers are entwined around the old fence.
万葉集には葎を詠んだ歌がある。
There are poems about creepers in the Man'yōshū.
Kana spelling is common when the kanji is considered difficult or obscure.
Alternate reading; less common than むぐら.
Rare alternate reading.
蔓草 is a more general term for vines and climbing plants, while 葎 specifically refers to weedy, trailing creepers, often with a literary or classical nuance.
The origin is uncertain. The kanji 葎 is a kokuji (Japanese-made character) combining the grass radical 艹 with 律, possibly chosen for its phonetic value. The word itself is native Japanese.