Kudzu - Kudzu

Japanese: 葛 - くず

〘Noun〙① A perennial creeping plant of the legume family. It commonly grows in the mountains and fields of various regions. The stems can reach over 10 meters in length. The plant is covered with rough white or brown hairs. The leaves are alternate on long stalks and divided into three leaflets. The leaflets are broadly ovate, 10-20 cm long, pointed at the tip, and the lateral leaflets often have two or three shallow lobes. In summer, inflorescences measuring about 20 cm long appear from the leaf axils , bearing purple, butterfly-shaped flowers in clusters. The pods are 5-10 cm long and covered with rough brown hairs. Kudzu starch is made from the swollen roots, and the dried version is called kudzu root , and is used as an antipyretic in Chinese medicine. The vines are used to weave luggage and other items , and the fibers are also used to weave kudzu cloth. One of the seven autumn herbs. The underside of the kuzu leaves is whitish and stands out when the leaves flutter in the wind, so it is called "urami" (back view). In waka poetry, it is a play on the word "hatami" (grudge), and "kudzu" and "hatami" (grudge ) are related words. Chinese name: kudzu. Kuzukazura. Makuzu. Urami-gusa. Season: Autumn. *Man'yoshu (late 8th century) 12.3072 "Walking across the rough shores of Osaki, is there no way for the kuzu to go? I am longing for them." *Haiku, Buson Kushu (1784) Autumn "The kudzu leaves cover the eaves." ② An abbreviation of "kuzuko (kudzu starch)." ※Suzuka Family Chronicles - December 14, 1354 (Bunwa 3) "I went to Koyasan Horin-in Temple and three bags of kudzu were brought to the main temple. Kudzu rice cakes were brought to the main temple." ③ Abbreviation of "kuzudamari (kudzu deposit)" and "kuzuan (kudzu paste)." ④ Abbreviation of "kuzununo-kuzufu (kudzu cloth)." ※Heike (early 13th century) 2 "A goddess from Hirano Manor, the domain of the mountain gate, brought kudzu for sale." ⑤ Name of a crest. A stylized kudzu flower or leaf. Examples include kudzu flower, three-part kudzu flower, horizontal kudzu flower, and three kudzu leaves.

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙① マメ科のつる性多年草。各地の山野にふつうに生える。茎は長さ一〇メートル以上になる。全体に白または褐色の荒い毛がある。葉は長い柄を持ち互生し、三個の小葉に分かれる。小葉は長さ一〇～二〇センチメートルの広卵形で先端はとがり、側小葉ではしばしば二～三浅裂する。夏、葉腋(ようえき)から長さ二〇センチメートルぐらいになる花序を出し、紫色の蝶形花を総状につける。莢(さや)は長さ五～一〇センチメートルで褐色の荒い毛におおわれる。肥大した根から葛粉をつくるほか、干したものを葛根(かっこん)といい、漢方では解熱剤に用いる。蔓で行李(こうり)などを編み、また、繊維にして葛布を織るのに用いる。秋の七草の一つ。くずの葉裏は白みがかっていて葉が風にひるがえると目立つところから「裏見」と称し、和歌などで「恨み」にかけ、また「葛」と「恨み」とを縁語とする。漢名、葛。くずかずら。まくず。裏見草。《季・秋》※万葉（８Ｃ後）一二・三〇七二「大埼の荒磯(ありそ)のわたりはふ久受(クズ)の往方(ゆくへ)もなくや恋ひわたりなむ」※俳諧・蕪村句集（1784）秋「葛の棚葉しけく軒端を覆ひければ」② 「くずこ（葛粉）」の略。※鈴鹿家記‐文和三年（1354）一二月一四日「高野法林院参私え葛三袋くるる御本所え葛餠上る」③ 「くずだまり（葛溜）」「くずあん（葛餡）」の略。④ 「くずぬの・くずふ（葛布）」の略。※平家（１３Ｃ前）二「山門の領平野庄の神人が葛を売てきたりけるに」⑤ 紋所の名。葛の花や葉を図案化したもの。葛の花、三つ割葛の花、横見葛の花、三つ葛の葉などがある。

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