Japanese life is intertwined with plants. Spring means viewing 桜 (さくら, cherry blossoms), autumn brings 紅葉 (もみじ, red leaves), 松竹梅 (pine-bamboo-plum) symbolizes good fortune, and bonsai is the art of zen.
This article teaches you 20 plant kanji to explore Japan's green world.
Core Kanji Table
Tree Basics
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 木 | モク (moku)・ボク (boku) | き (ki)・こ (ko) | tree, wood | 木材 (もくざい, lumber), 大木 (たいぼく, large tree) | 1 tree = 木 |
| 林 | リン (rin) | はやし (hayashi) | grove | 林 (はやし, grove), 森林 (しんりん, forest) | 2 trees = 林 |
| 森 | シン (shin) | もり (mori) | forest | 森 (もり, forest), 森林 (しんりん, forest) | 3 trees = 森! Pictographic progression |
| 根 | コン (kon) | ね (ne) | root | 根 (ね, root), 根本 (こんぽん, fundamental) | 根本 = fundamental |
| 枝 | シ (shi) | えだ (eda) | branch | 枝 (えだ, branch), 枝葉 (しよう, branches and leaves) | A tree's offshoots |
| 葉 | ヨウ (yō) | は (ha) | leaf | 葉 (は, leaf), 紅葉 (こうよう/もみじ, autumn leaves) | 紅葉 = autumn foliage |
| 芽 | ガ (ga) | め (me) | bud | 芽 (め, bud), 発芽 (はつが, germination) | 新芽 = new sprout |
| 茎 | ケイ (kei) | くき (kuki) | stem | 茎 (くき, stem), 地下茎 (ちかけい, underground stem) | A plant's support |
Flowers & Grass
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 花 | カ (ka) | はな (hana) | flower | 花見 (はなみ, flower viewing), 花火 (はなび, fireworks) | 花見 = cherry blossom viewing |
| 草 | ソウ (sō) | くさ (kusa) | grass | 草原 (そうげん, grassland), 雑草 (ざっそう, weeds) | 雑草 = weeds |
| 蓮 | レン (ren) | はす (hasu) | lotus | 蓮 (はす, lotus), 蓮根 (れんこん, lotus root) | 蓮根 = lotus root (a popular food) |
| 菊 | キク (kiku) | — | chrysanthemum | 菊 (きく, chrysanthemum), 菊花 (きっか) | The Imperial family crest |
Japan's Iconic Plants
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Cultural Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 桜 | オウ (ō) | さくら (sakura) | cherry blossom | 桜 (さくら), 桜前線 (さくらぜんせん, cherry blossom front) | Japan's unofficial national flower |
| 松 | ショウ (shō) | まつ (matsu) | pine | 松 (まつ), 松竹梅 (しょうちくばい) | Symbol of longevity |
| 竹 | チク (chiku) | たけ (take) | bamboo | 竹 (たけ), 竹林 (ちくりん, bamboo grove) | Symbol of integrity |
| 梅 | バイ (bai) | うめ (ume) | plum | 梅 (うめ), 梅雨 (つゆ/ばいう, rainy season) | Symbol of perseverance |
| 柳 | リュウ (ryū) | やなぎ (yanagi) | willow | 柳 (やなぎ), 川柳 (せんりゅう, satirical haiku) | 川柳 = humorous short poems |
| 藤 | トウ (tō) | ふじ (fuji) | wisteria | 藤 (ふじ), 藤棚 (ふじだな, wisteria trellis) | Stunning spring scenery |
| 桃 | トウ (tō) | もも (momo) | peach | 桃 (もも), 桃の花 (もものはな, peach blossom) | Symbol of Girls' Day |
| 杉 | サン (san) | すぎ (sugi) | cedar | 杉 (すぎ), 杉並 (すぎなみ, Suginami) | The #1 cause of hay fever! |
Radical Patterns: Wood and Grass
| Radical | Name | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 木 | ki-hen | wood/tree | 林, 森, 根, 枝, 桜, 松, 柳, 桃, 杉 |
| 艹 | kusa-kanmuri | grass/herb | 花, 草, 芽, 茎, 菊, 蓮, 藤, 葉 |
木 radical = woody plants (trees); 艹 radical = herbaceous plants (flowers, grasses).
木 → 林 → 森: Pictographic Progression
These three kanji are a textbook example of how kanji were created:
- 木 = one tree 🌳
- 林 = two trees 🌳🌳 = a grove
- 森 = three trees 🌳🌳🌳 = a dense forest
More trees = denser vegetation. This is the "compound ideograph" method of kanji creation.
Shō-Chiku-Bai: Japan's Lucky Trio
Just like the Chinese "Three Friends of Winter" (pine, bamboo, plum), Japan uses 松竹梅 — but with a twist:
| Rank | Plant | Symbol | Practical Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 松 (shō) | Pine | Premium | Sushi restaurant "松" = most expensive set |
| 竹 (chiku) | Bamboo | Mid-tier | "竹" = mid-range price |
| 梅 (bai) | Plum | Entry-level | "梅" = most affordable set |
When you see 松・竹・梅 on a Japanese menu, it's a price ranking (松 = highest, 梅 = lowest), not just plant names.
Cultural Note: Sakura and Hanami
The Japanese connection to cherry blossoms runs deep:
- 桜前線 (さくらぜんせん) = the cherry blossom front — meteorologists track blooming progress from south to north
- 花見 (はなみ) = cherry blossom viewing parties, Japan's most important spring tradition
- 一期一会 (いちごいちえ) = cherry blossoms' brief bloom embodies the concept of "once in a lifetime"
- 散る (ちる) = petals falling — the Japanese find the moment of scattering most beautiful
Practice
Q1. What's the pattern in 木, 林, 森?
Show answer
Pictographic progression. 木 = 1 tree, 林 = 2 trees (grove), 森 = 3 trees (forest). More characters = denser vegetation.
Q2. You see 松・竹・梅 options at a restaurant. What do they mean?
Show answer
Price tiers. 松 = premium (most expensive), 竹 = mid-range, 梅 = entry-level (cheapest).
Q3. How many readings does 紅葉 have?
Show answer
Two: こうよう (on'yomi, autumn foliage in general) and もみじ (kun'yomi, specifically maple leaves turning red).
Q4. What is 花見?
Show answer
Cherry blossom viewing. 花見 (はなみ) = flower + viewing. Though literally "looking at flowers," in Japan it almost exclusively means viewing cherry blossoms.
Q5. Why do Japanese people have a love-hate relationship with 杉?
Show answer
杉 (すぎ, cedar) is one of Japan's most common trees with excellent timber, but every spring its pollen (杉花粉, すぎかふん) causes widespread hay fever suffering.
Summary
- 木 radical = trees; 艹 radical = flowers and grasses
- 木 → 林 → 森: a classic pictographic progression
- 松竹梅 in Japan doubles as a price ranking system at restaurants
- 桜 is the heart of Japanese culture; 花見 is the biggest spring tradition
- Next up: Heaven and earth — learn kanji for sky, land, and celestial bodies