What does 草 mean in Japanese?
草 means “grass” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 草 (grass), 草花 (plants and flowers), and 草原 (grassland).
For learners, the key is to study 草 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: ソウ (sou)
Kun’yomi: くさ (kusa)
Basic Information
| Kanji | 草 |
|---|---|
| Meaning | grass, weed, herb |
| Stroke Count | 9 |
| JLPT Level | N5 |
How to Understand This Kanji
草 is not limited to one English translation. In 草 (くさ), it means grass; in 草花 (くさばな), it points to plants and flowers; and in 草原 (そうげん), it is used for grassland. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 草（くさ / kusa） — grass
- 草花（くさばな / kusabana） — plants and flowers
- 草原（そうげん / sōgen） — grassland
- 雑草（ざっそう / zassō） — weed
- 草食（そうしょく / sōshoku） — herbivorous
- 草むら（くさむら / kusamura） — grassy place
Example Sentences
-
庭の草を取りました。
にわのくさをとりました。 / Niwa no kusa o torimashita.
I pulled weeds from the garden.
-
春になると草花が咲きます。
はるになるとくさばながさきます。 / Haru ni naru to kusabana ga sakimasu.
Plants and flowers bloom in spring.
-
草原で昼ご飯を食べました。
そうげんでひるごはんをたべました。 / Sōgen de hirugohan o tabemashita.
We ate lunch on the grassland.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 草 (くさ / kusa) because it keeps the core meaning of 草 clear. Then add 草花 and 草原 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 草 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
草 means “grass” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 草, 草花, and 草原.