(じゅずだま)

じゅずだま
noun
Job's tears (plant)
1. Job's tears (plant); its hard seeds
A tall grass (イネ科(イネか)) that grows near water, and especially its hard, glossy, teardrop-shaped seeds. The seeds are naturally holed and have long been strung as beads. Composed of 数珠(じゅず) (prayer beads) and (だま) (bead).
数珠玉(じゅずだま)(いと)(とお)す。
Thread the Job's tears seeds onto a string.
川辺(かわべ)数珠玉(じゅずだま)()えている。
Job's tears grow along the riverbank.
子供(こども)のころ、数珠玉(じゅずだま)()(あつ)めて首飾(くびかざ)りを(つく)った。
As a child, I gathered Job's tears seeds and made a necklace.

A familiar wild plant of riversides; the beadlike seeds are a traditional plaything for children.

COMMON COLLOCATIONS:

  • 数珠玉(じゅずだま)(とお)す: to string Job's tears seeds
  • 数珠玉(じゅずだま)(): the seeds of Job's tears
  • 数珠玉(じゅずだま)(あつ)める: to gather Job's tears seeds

SIMILAR WORDS:

  • ハトムギ: adlay — a closely related cultivated grain grown for food and tea
  • 数珠(じゅず): prayer beads — the Buddhist rosary the seeds were once used to make