薦こも

noun

woven straw mat

A traditional mat woven from straw, originally made from wild rice leaves. Used for wrapping, covering, or sitting.

• 昔むかしの人ひとは薦こもを敷しいて座すわっていた。

  People in the old days sat on woven straw mats.

noun

beggar

Abbreviation of 薦被り (こもかぶり), literally 'one who wears a straw mat', an old term for a beggar. Rare and historical.

See also: 薦被り

• 「薦こも」は、かつて薦こも被かぶりという言こと葉ばから乞こ食じきを指さした。

  The word 薦 once referred to beggars, derived from the term 薦被り.

noun

Manchurian wild rice

Only when written 菰

Archaic name for the plant Zizania latifolia, now usually called 真菰 (まこも).

See also: マコモ

• 古ふるくは「菰こも」と書かいて、まこものことを指さした。

  In the past, the kanji 菰 was used to refer to Manchurian wild rice.