たんぽぽ
たんぽぽ
noun
dandelion
1.
dandelion
A common weed with yellow flowers that turn into white fluffy seed heads.
黄色いたんぽぽの花。
Yellow dandelion flowers.
公園にたんぽぽがたくさんある。
There are many dandelions in the park.
庭にたんぽぽがたくさん生えている。
Many dandelions are growing in the garden.
たんぽぽの綿毛を吹くと、風に乗って飛んでいく。
When you blow dandelion fluff, it floats away on the wind.
春になると道のあちこちにたんぽぽが咲いて、子供たちがうれしそうに摘んでいる。
When spring comes, dandelions bloom everywhere along the road, and children happily pick them.
たんぽぽ is the Japanese word for dandelion, a common spring flower.
KANJI:
Can be written as 蒲公英, but hiragana is far more common in everyday use.
PARTS OF THE PLANT:
- 花: the yellow flower
- 綿毛: the fluffy white seed head
- 茎: stem
- 葉: leaves (jagged, edible)
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- たんぽぽが咲く: dandelions bloom
- たんぽぽの綿毛を吹く: to blow dandelion seeds
CULTURAL NOTE:
Blowing dandelion seeds (綿毛を飛ばす) while making a wish is a popular childhood activity in Japan, similar to Western cultures.
USES:
Dandelion leaves and roots are used in some traditional medicines and herbal teas (たんぽぽ{茶/{コーヒー}}).