1.
algae; seaweed; water plant
A general term for aquatic plants that grow in water, including freshwater algae, pond weed, and marine seaweed.
池に藻が生えている。
Algae are growing in the pond.
水槽の藻を取り除いた。
I removed the algae from the fish tank.
夏になると川の流れが緩やかな場所に藻が繁って、水面が緑色になる。
In summer, algae grow thick in places where the river current is gentle, turning the water surface green.
A native Japanese word for aquatic vegetation. Often appears in compounds.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 藻が生える (algae grows)
- 藻が繁る (algae thrives/grows thick)
- 藻を取る (to remove algae)
- 海藻 (seaweed — 海 + 藻)
COMMON COMPOUNDS:
- 海藻 (seaweed)
- 水草 (aquatic plant — synonym using different kanji)
- 藻類 (algae as a biological classification)
The character 藻 also appears in 藻掻く (to struggle, to flounder), though the connection is etymological rather than semantic.