朝顔(あさがお)

あさがお
noun
morning glory
1. morning glory
A flowering vine with trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in the morning and close by afternoon.
朝顔(あさがお)は朝(あさ)早(はや)く咲(さ)いて昼(ひる)には萎(しぼ)む。
Morning glories bloom early in the morning and wilt by noon.
小学校(しょうがっこう)で朝顔(あさがお)を育(そだ)てた。
I grew morning glories at elementary school.
A common school activity in Japan
朝顔市(あさがおいち)で苗(なえ)を買(か)った。
I bought seedlings at the morning glory market.

The name means 'morning face' (朝(あさ) + 顔(かお)), describing how the flowers open in the morning. A quintessential symbol of Japanese summer.

Cultural significance:

  • 夏休(なつやす)みの自由研究(じゆうけんきゅう) (summer break project) - elementary students often grow 朝顔(あさがお)
  • 朝顔市(あさがおいち) (morning glory market) - held at 入谷(いりや) (東京(とうきょう)) every July
  • Featured in 俳句(はいく) as a summer 季語(きご) (seasonal word)

Colors: 青(あお), 紫(むらさき), ピンク, 白(しろ), and variegated patterns.

The flower symbolizes:

  • Fleeting beauty (儚(はかな)さ) - blooms only briefly
  • Summer memories
  • Childhood nostalgia

Related: 昼顔(ひるがお) (bindweed, blooms during the day), 夕顔(ゆうがお) (moonflower, blooms in evening).

general
Added 2026.1.14 21:56 · Revised 2026.1.19 21:17
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