also: やろう
Dioscorea tokoro; wild yam species
Only with reading ところ / トコロ
A specific species of wild yam native to East Asia. The word is usually written in kana (トコロ or ところ) in modern Japanese.
Dioscorea tokoro is a climbing plant that grows wild in fields and mountains.
old country man; rural old-timer
Only with reading やろう
A somewhat dated or rustic term for an elderly man living in the countryside. Restricted to the reading やろう.
The old man in the village told us old stories.
Dioscorea tokoro (species of wild yam)
Katakana spelling is common for the plant name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling for the plant; rarely used and may be unfamiliar to many readers.
Kana spelling for the 'old country man' sense; restricted to the reading やろう.
The plant name トコロ is of uncertain origin. The kanji 野老 (literally 'field old man') is an ateji spelling that may reflect the plant's appearance or folk associations. The reading やろう for 'old country man' is a separate word, possibly derived from 野老 or a related term.