Meaning
The kanji 茎 (くき, kuki) refers to a plant's “stem,” “stalk,” or “culm.” It's an essential character for describing plant anatomy, from delicate flower stalks to robust vegetable stems.
As a JLPT N1 character, 茎 appears in advanced botanical texts, scientific documents, and sophisticated literary works that depict the natural world. Its mastery is crucial for advanced Japanese learners aiming for a comprehensive understanding of the language, particularly in fields like biology, gardening, and culinary arts.
Etymologically, 茎 is a 形声文字 (keisei moji), or phono-semantic compound. The left component, 艹 (くさかんむり), acts as the radical, clearly indicating its association with “grass” or “plants” and providing the semantic clue. The right component, 茎 (also pronounced ケイ or キョウ in some contexts), serves as the phonetic component, guiding its pronunciation. Historically, this right component itself conveyed the meaning of a “stem” or “stalk,” suggesting a straight, upright growth.
Visually, the kanji intuitively represents its meaning. The "grass" radical at the top immediately places the character within the plant kingdom. The subsequent strokes suggest something rising from the ground, slender yet supportive, much like a plant stem. This combination of semantic and phonetic elements creates a concise and straightforward representation of a plant's main axis.
The kanji 茎 has 10 strokes and, as an N1 kanji, it doesn't belong to the standard elementary school (Kyōiku Kanji) grade levels.
Readings
The kanji 茎 has both 音読み (on'yomi), derived from Chinese, and 訓読み (kun'yomi), native Japanese readings, each used in distinct contexts.
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary on'yomi for 茎 are キョウ (kyou) and ケイ (kei). These readings are typically found in compound words, especially those with botanical or scientific implications, where they combine with other kanji to form more complex terms.
キョウ (kyou): This reading is less common in daily conversation, but you'll find it in specific botanical or scientific terminology.
茎幹 (keikan) — stem and trunk, main stem (of a plant)
茎菜 (keisai) — stem vegetables
ケイ (kei): More frequently encountered in a wider range of botanical compounds, especially when referring to specific types of stems or stalks.
花茎 (kakei) — flower stalk, scape (the stem supporting a single flower or inflorescence)
葉茎 (youkei) — leaf and stem
根茎 (konkei) — rhizome, rootstock (an underground stem that often sends out roots and shoots)
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The kun'yomi reading for 茎 is くき (kuki). This is the most common way to read the character when it stands alone or refers to a general “stem” or “stalk” in everyday Japanese.
くき (kuki): This is the direct and widely used native Japanese word for a plant's stem or stalk.
茎 (kuki) — stem, stalk (e.g., of a plant, flower, vegetable)
茎茶 (kukicha) — twig tea (a type of Japanese green tea made from the stems, stalks, and twigs of the tea plant)
アスパラガスの茎 (asuparagasu no kuki) — asparagus stalk
Common Words & Compounds
The kanji 茎 appears in many Japanese words, particularly those related to botany, cooking, and the natural world. Here are some common examples, categorized by theme, illustrating its diverse usage.
Botanical Structures:
花茎 (kakei) — flower stalk, scape. This term refers specifically to the stem that bears a flower or an entire flower cluster.
葉茎 (youkei) — leaf and stem. A general term for both the leaves and stems of a plant.
根茎 (konkei) — rhizome, rootstock. An underground, horizontal plant stem often mistaken for a root.
茎葉 (keiyou) — stem and leaf. Similar to 葉茎, but sometimes used with a slightly different nuance in biological contexts.
茎頂 (keichou) — shoot apex, stem tip. The very tip of a plant's stem where new growth takes place.
Plant Types & Products:
茎菜 (keisai) — stem vegetables. Vegetables where the edible parts are mainly their stems, such as asparagus or celery.
茎茶 (kukicha) — twig tea. A unique type of Japanese green tea made from the stems and stalks of the tea plant, prized for its distinct flavor.
茎ワカメ (kuki wakame) — wakame stalk. The central, thicker part of wakame seaweed, often enjoyed for its chewy texture.
Growth & Action:
茎立ち (kukidachi) — shooting up (of a plant stem), bolting. This describes the process where a plant stem rapidly elongates, often just before flowering.
茎を伸ばす (kuki o nobasu) — to extend a stem, to grow a stem longer.
These examples show how 茎 is used not only in technical botanical terms but also in culinary and descriptive contexts, making it a versatile kanji for discussing the natural world in Japanese.
Example Sentences
この花の茎はとても細い。
Kono hana no kuki wa totemo hosoi.
This flower's stem is very thin.
野菜の茎も栄養が豊富です。
Yasai no kuki mo eiyou ga houfu desu.
Vegetable stems are also rich in nutrients.
茎茶は独特の風味があり、とてもおいしい。
Kukicha wa tokutoku no fuumi ga ari, totemo oishii.
Kukicha (twig tea) has a unique flavor and is very delicious.
長い花茎が地面からまっすぐ伸びていた。
Nagai kakei ga jimen kara massugu nobite ita.
A long flower stalk was growing straight up from the ground.
植物は茎を通して水を吸い上げる。
Shokubutsu wa kuki o tooshite mizu o suiageru.
Plants absorb water through their stems.
この珍しい植物は、太い根茎を持っている。
Kono mezurashii shokubutsu wa, futoi konkei o motte iru.
This rare plant has a thick rhizome (underground stem).
料理に使うため、セロリの茎を丁寧に切った。
Ryouri ni tsukau tame, serori no kuki o teinei ni kitta.
I carefully cut the celery stalks to use in cooking.
科学者たちは、植物の茎頂の成長を研究している。
Kagakusha-tachi wa, shokubutsu no keichou no seichou o kenkyuu shite iru.
Scientists are researching the growth of plant shoot apices (stem tips).
古い家の庭には、さまざまな植物の茎葉が生い茂っていた。
Furui ie no niwa ni wa, samazama na shokubutsu no keiyou ga oishigette ita.
Various plant stems and leaves grew luxuriantly in the old house's garden.
Memory Tip
To remember 茎, visualize its components: the top radical 艹 (くさかんむり) immediately signals “grass” or “plant,” setting the context. Below it, imagine the slender yet sturdy structure of a stem emerging from the ground. The right side of the phonetic component, which slightly resembles a plant growing upwards, reinforces the idea of an “upright stalk.” Imagine a plant sending its delicate yet firm stem straight towards the sky, supporting its leaves and flowers. The 艹 tells you it's a plant, and the remaining strokes evoke that straight, essential support structure: the stem.