白詰草

Japanese

Kanji in this term
白	詰	草
しろ Grade: 1	つ(め) Grade: S	くさ Grade: 1
kun’yomi

白詰草 (shiro tsumekusa): a patch of white clover.

Etymology

Compound of 白 (shiro, “white”) +‎ 詰草 (tsumekusa, “clover”).[1][2][3]

First cited to a botanical reference work from 1884.[1] The plant was introduced to Japan, accounting for the late appearance of the term.

Pronunciation

(Tokyo) しろつめくさ [shìró tsúꜜmèkùsà] (Nakadaka – [3])[4][3]
(Tokyo) しろつめくさ [shìró tsúméꜜkùsà] (Nakadaka – [4])[4][3]
IPA^(key): [ɕiɾo̞ t͡sɨᵝme̞kɯ̟̊ᵝsa̠]

Noun

白(しろ)詰(つめ)草(くさ) • (shiro tsumekusa)

[from 1884] Trifolia repens, white clover
Synonyms: (colloquial) 詰草 (tsumekusa), クローバー (kurōbā), (more specifically) 白クローバー (shiro kurōbā), (uncommon) オランダ紫雲英 (Oranda genge), (uncommon) オランダ馬肥やし (Oranda umagoyashi)

Usage notes

As with many terms that name organisms, this term is often spelled in katakana, especially in biological contexts (where katakana is customary), as シロツメクサ.

References

“白詰草”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN
“白詰草”, in デジタル大辞泉 (Dejitaru Daijisen)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months
1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN
2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[KDJ2-1] “白詰草”, in 日本国語大辞典 (Nihon Kokugo Daijiten, “Nihon Kokugo Daijiten”)‎ (in Japanese), 2nd edition, Tōkyō: Shogakukan, 2000, →ISBN

[DDJS-2] “白詰草”, in デジタル大辞泉 (Dejitaru Daijisen)‎ (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Shogakukan, updated roughly every four months

[SMK5-3] 1997, 新明解国語辞典 (Shin Meikai Kokugo Jiten), Fifth Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN

[DJR-4] 2006, 大辞林 (Daijirin), Third Edition (in Japanese), Tōkyō: Sanseidō, →ISBN