桑
桑·mulberry
- On-yomi
- ソウ
- Kun-yomi
- くわ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 桑 | くわ | mulberry |
| 桑畑 | くわばたけ | mulberry field |
| 桑の実 | くわのみ | mulberry fruit |
| 桑原 | くわばら | 'heaven forbid' (charm against lightning) |
Example sentences
昔この辺りは桑畑ばかりだった。
むかしこのあたりはくわばたけばかりだった。
This area used to be nothing but mulberry fields.
蚕は桑の葉しか食べない。
かいこはくわのはしかたべない。
Silkworms eat nothing but mulberry leaves.
子どもの頃、桑の実を摘んで食べた。
こどものころ、くわのみをつんでたべた。
As a child I used to pick and eat mulberries.
Common mistakes
- Reading 桑 as そう on its own — the on-reading ソウ is rare outside compounds
- Confusing 桑 (mulberry tree) with 蚕 (silkworm) in the same topic
Memory aid
Picture it
Three hands 又 reaching down over a tree 木 — pickers stripping mulberry leaves for the silkworms.
Quick check
1 / 2Multiple choiceDifficulty 4 of 5
What does the kanji 桑 mean?