カヤツリグサ

also: しゃそう

か

や

つ

り

ぐ

さ

Meanings

1

noun

galingale; Cyperus microiria

usually written using kana alone

Refers to plants of the genus Cyperus, especially Cyperus microiria. Usually written in kana.

道みち端ばたにカヤツリグサが生はえている。

Galingale is growing by the roadside.

2

noun

nut grass; Cyperus rotundus

Only with reading しゃそう

Specific species, read as しゃそう. Rarely used; cross-referenced with 浜菅.

Kanji

蚊mosquito
帳notebook, account book, album
吊suspend, hang, wear (sword)
草grass, weeds, herbs
釣angling, fish, catch
莎sedge

Related words

ハマスゲ
ハマスゲ is the more common name for nut grass (Cyperus rotundus), while カヤツリグサ usually refers to Cyperus microiria.

Written forms

カヤツリグサ
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is common for this plant name; usually written in kana.
蚊帳吊草かやつりぐさ
Kanji spelling; rarely used in practice.
蚊帳かや釣つり草ぐさ
Variant kanji spelling; rarely used.
莎草
- しゃそう
  Kanji spelling for the reading しゃそう, used for nut grass.
- かやつりぐさ
しゃそう

Etymology

From 蚊帳吊り草, “mosquito-net-hanging plant.” Children split its triangular stem and pulled the sections apart to make a frame resembling a hanging mosquito net.