(あおくさ)

あおくさ
noun
green grass; fresh grass
1. green grass; fresh grass
Living, green grass or plants, as opposed to dried or withered vegetation. Evokes the fresh, vibrant greenery of spring and summer.
青草(あおくさ)(にお)いがする。
I can smell fresh grass.
(うし)青草(あおくさ)()べている。
The cows are eating fresh grass.
(はる)になると野原(のはら)青草(あおくさ)(おお)われて、気持(きも)ちのいい季節(きせつ)だ。
In spring the fields are covered with green grass — it's a pleasant season.

A compound of (あお) (green/blue) and (くさ) (grass/plants). In Japanese, (あお) is traditionally used for the color of vegetation, not (みどり). This is the same usage seen in 青葉(あおば) (green leaves) and 青田(あおた) (green rice paddies).

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 青草(あおくさ)(にお)い — the smell of fresh grass
  • 青草(あおくさ)()る — to mow green grass
  • 青草(あおくさ)()える — green grass grows

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • 雑草(ざっそう) — weeds (unwanted plants, regardless of color)
  • 芝生(しばふ) — lawn; turf (cultivated grass)
  • ()(くさ) — dried/dead grass (the opposite of 青草(あおくさ))
  • 牧草(ぼくそう) — pasture grass; fodder (grass specifically for livestock)