つづらふじ

noun

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).

• つづらふじは漢かん方ぽう薬やくに使つかわれることがある。

  Chinese moonseed is sometimes used in traditional Chinese medicine.

noun

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).

• この土と地ちをめぐる二ふたつの家いえのつづらふじのような争あらそいは長なが年ねん続つづいている。

  The tangled struggle between the two families over this land has continued for many years.