根(ね)っこ

ねっこ
noun
root (of a plant)
1. root (of a plant)
The underground part of a plant that absorbs water and nutrients. Slightly informal/colloquial.
木(き)の根(ね)っこが土(つち)から出(で)ている。
The roots of the tree are sticking out of the ground.
根(ね)っこから引(ひ)き抜(ぬ)いた。
I pulled it out from the root.
雑草(ざっそう)の根(ね)っこを取(と)る。
I remove the roots of the weeds.
台風(たいふう)で大(おお)きな木(き)が根(ね)っこから倒(たお)れた。
A large tree fell from its roots in the typhoon.
古(ふる)い木(き)の根(ね)っこは地面(じめん)の下(した)に深(ふか)く広(ひろ)がっていて、なかなか抜(ぬ)けない。
The roots of old trees spread deep underground and are hard to pull out.

根(ね)っこ is a colloquial term for the root of a plant.

WORD FORMATION:
根(ね) (root) + っこ (diminutive/casual suffix)

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

REGISTER:
Slightly informal/colloquial. Use 根(ね) in more formal contexts.

RELATED WORDS:

FIGURATIVE USE:
Can imply the fundamental/deep-rooted part: 問題(もんだい)の根(ね)っこ (the root of a problem).

Related Words

Synonym: 根(ね) (root (standard))
core
Added 2026.1.16 23:02 · Revised 2026.6.9 4:14
05500/05880_nekko