1.
root (of a plant)
The underground part of a plant that absorbs water and nutrients. Slightly informal/colloquial.
木の根っこが土から出ている。
The roots of the tree are sticking out of the ground.
根っこから引き抜いた。
I pulled it out from the root.
雑草の根っこを取る。
I remove the roots of the weeds.
根っこ is a colloquial term for the root of a plant.
WORD FORMATION:
根 (root) + っこ (diminutive/casual suffix)
COMMON EXPRESSIONS:
- 根っこから引き抜く: to pull out from the root
- 根っこを取る: to remove the roots
- 木の根っこ: tree roots
REGISTER:
Slightly informal/colloquial. Use 根 in more formal contexts.
RELATED WORDS:
- 根: root (standard)
- 根元: base, root area
- 根を張る: to take root (figurative)
FIGURATIVE USE:
Can imply the fundamental/deep-rooted part: 問題の根っこ (the root of a problem).