椿(つばき)

椿(つばき) refers to camellia flowers and trees.

Common expressions

• 椿(つばき)油(あぶら) (camellia oil - used for hair and cooking)
• 椿(つばき)の花(はな) (camellia flower)
• 赤(あか)い椿(つばき) (red camellia)

Counter: 本(ほん) (for trees/shrubs), 輪(りん) (for flowers)

Cultural note

Camellias bloom when little else does, making them significant in winter gardens. However, the way camellia flowers fall - dropping the entire bloom at once rather than petals - has led to associations with death and decapitation. For this reason, camellias are traditionally avoided as gifts for hospital patients or at funerals. 椿(つばき)油(あぶら) has been used in Japan for centuries as hair oil and is still popular today.