also: はか
noun
General term for mint plants, including peppermint and spearmint. Often used in compounds like ハッカ油 (peppermint oil) or ハッカ飴 (mint candy).
ハッカの香りが爽やかですね。
The scent of mint is refreshing, isn't it?
ハッカ油を数滴たらすと、部屋がすっきりします。
Adding a few drops of peppermint oil makes the room feel fresh.
noun
Japanese peppermint; Mentha arvensis var. piperascens
Specifically refers to the Japanese peppermint variety, a source of menthol. Often encountered in botanical or traditional medicine contexts.
日本薄荷はメントールの原料として栽培されています。
Japanese peppermint is cultivated as a source of menthol.
Kanji spelling is rare and may not be recognized by all readers; usually written in kana.
Hiragana spelling, also common.
Obsolete kana reading; not used in modern Japanese.
ミント is a more general loanword for mint, often used for Western mint flavors and products, while ハッカ tends to refer to the traditional Japanese peppermint or the plant itself.
The kanji 薄荷 are Chinese in origin, but the Japanese reading はっか is a sound shift from the older reading はくか, which itself derives from Middle Chinese. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.