葦(あし)

あし
noun
reed; common reed
plant-general
1. reed; common reed
A tall grass that grows in wetlands, along rivers, and in marshy areas. Used historically for thatching, mat-making, and as a literary symbol.
川辺(かわべ)に葦(あし)が茂(しげ)っている。
Reeds are growing thick along the riverbank.
風(かぜ)が吹(ふ)くと葦(あし)が一斉(いっせい)に揺(ゆ)れた。
When the wind blew, the reeds all swayed together.
パスカルは「人間(にんげん)は考(かんが)える葦(あし)である」という有名(ゆうめい)な言葉(ことば)を残(のこ)した。
Pascal left the famous words, 'Man is a thinking reed.'

Also read as よし. The alternate reading よし arose because あし sounds like 悪(あ)し (bad), so the euphemistic reading よし (良(よ)し, good) was adopted. Both readings are correct.

Common collocations

  • 葦(あし)が茂(しげ)る (reeds grow thick)
  • 葦原(あしはら) (reed field, reed bed)
  • 葦(あし)の葉(は) (reed leaves)
  • 葦簀(よしず) (reed screen/blind — note: usually read よしず)

Cultural note

The phrase 考(かんが)える葦(あし) (thinking reed) from Pascal's Pensées is widely known in Japan. 葦原(あしはら) also appears in classical texts as part of 葦原(あしはら)の中(なか)つ国(くに), an ancient name for Japan.

general
Added 2026.3.4 13:05 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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