Chinese moonseed; Sinomenium acutum
A climbing plant native to East Asia. The kanji 葛藤 is rarely used for this plant because it is overwhelmingly read as かっとう (conflict).
Chinese moonseed is sometimes used in traditional Chinese medicine.
complex inter-relationship; tangled struggle
Metaphorical use derived from the image of two vines intertwining and competing. Rare and literary; the common word for 'conflict' is 葛藤 (かっとう).
The tangled struggle between the two families over this land has continued for many years.
葛 read as つづら is a rare, specialist name for the same plant that is normally called つづらふじ (Chinese moonseed).
queen coralbead; Cocculus orbiculatus
Katakana spelling used in botanical contexts or for emphasis.
Kanji spelling for the plant; rarely used because it clashes with the common word 葛藤 (かっとう, 'conflict').
Alternate kanji spelling, mainly in traditional Chinese medicine contexts.
The plant name つづらふじ is of native Japanese origin. The kanji 葛藤 literally mean 'kudzu and wisteria', referring to the intertwining vines, which gave rise to the metaphorical sense of tangled conflict.