草
草·grass, weeds
- On-yomi
- ソウ
- Kun-yomi
- くさ
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 草 | くさ | grass, weeds |
| 草原 | そうげん | grassland, prairie |
| 草花 | くさばな | flowering plants |
| 雑草 | ざっそう | weeds |
Example sentences
庭の草を取りました。
にわのくさをとりました。
I pulled the weeds in the garden.
犬が草の上で寝ています。
いぬがくさのうえでねています。
The dog is sleeping on the grass.
雨が降ると、雑草がすぐに伸びます。
あめがふると、ざっそうがすぐにのびます。
When it rains, the weeds grow back right away.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
Common mistakes
- Reading 草原 as *くさはら in standard contexts — the usual reading is そうげん
- Writing 早 for 草 and leaving off the three-stroke grass top
Memory aid
Picture it
The grass radical 艹 sitting on 早 (early): grass is the first green thing up in the morning.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 草 mean?