1.
vine; tendril; climbing stem
The long, slender stem of a climbing plant that twines around supports. Used for plants like morning glory, ivy, sweet potato, and grape. Sometimes written 蔓 in kanji, but the kanji is non-Joyo and the kana spelling is most common.
The long, twining stem of a climbing plant. Commonly written in kana; the kanji 蔓 is non-Joyo and uncommon in everyday writing. Note that つる is homophonous with 釣る (to fish) and 鶴 (crane) — context distinguishes them.
Common collocations
- つるを伸ばす: (a plant) extends its vines
- つるが巻きつく: vines wind around (something)
- つるが這う: vines creep
- ぶどうのつる: grape vine
- 朝顔のつる: morning glory tendrils
Common expressions
- 芋づる式: like pulling sweet potatoes by their vines — used to describe finding one thing after another in a connected chain (e.g., arrests, evidence)