菖蒲(あやめ)

あやめ
noun
iris
1. iris, Japanese iris
A flowering plant with sword-shaped leaves and showy purple, blue, or white flowers. Associated with late spring and early summer.
庭(にわ)に美(うつく)しい菖蒲(あやめ)が咲(さ)いています。
Beautiful irises are blooming in the garden.
菖蒲(あやめ)は五月(ごがつ)の花(はな)です。
Iris is a May flower.
「いずれ菖蒲(あやめ)か杜若(かきつばた)」という言葉(ことば)があります。
There's a saying "Whether iris or rabbitear iris" (meaning hard to distinguish between beauties).

菖蒲(あやめ) refers to iris flowers.

Note: The same kanji can be read as しょうぶ for a different plant (sweet flag/calamus), used in 端午(たんご)の節句(せっく) (Boys' Day) baths.

Similar flowers often confused:

  • 菖蒲(あやめ) (iris) - grows in dry land
  • 杜若(かきつばた) (rabbitear iris) - grows in shallow water
  • 花菖蒲(はなしょうぶ) (Japanese iris) - grows in wet areas

Idiom: 「いずれ菖蒲(あやめ)か杜若(かきつばた)」- both are so beautiful it's hard to choose (used for comparing equally attractive things/people)

Season: Late spring to early summer (May-June)

general
Added 2026.1.14 22:31 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
04500/04965_ayame