I would like to find a list of commonly used descriptive Japanese plant names. For example...in latin we have 'alba' for white...in japanese names i believe we see 'shiro' used in a similar manner. Beni is, i would guess...used for dwarf growing plants. Does anyone know of handy list of commonly used names....googling is not working well on this one. thanks. r
In the book " Japanese Maples " by J. D.Vertrees there is an appendices with the Japanese names and there meanings. I realise it mostly applies to Maples, but it is a start. eg. Shira=white. Beni=red. I am sure you will find this book in a library.Hope this helps.
I agreee with the Vertrees reference, I pulled some out for a newsletter I wrote a few years ago, I will paste it here for what its worth. :) Beni – red Chisio – blood Gashira – lion’s mane, lion’s head Goshiki – multicoloured Haku – white Higasu – parasol Ichi – one Kaede – maple Kaku – pillar, tower Ko – deep (color) Nishiki – brocade (variegated, rough) No – of, from Sango – coral Schichihenge – changeful Shin – new, improved Ōgon – gold Shira – white Shishi – legendary lion Tai – thick, big Taki – waterfall Uki – drift, float Ukon – yellow Yatsubasa – dwarf, compact
So Prunus 'Tai Haku' means 'big white' What's the difference between 'haku' and 'shira' - you have both listed as meaning 'white'.
Lemme get the book and see. :) BRB. ok, back. I looked at the list in Appendix A of the book Japanese maples, Momiji and Kaede, 3rd edition, Vertrees. The one I pilfered my original list from, it does list multiple words for the same meaning. IE. White can be: Shira, Shiro, Haku I checked another little book on my shelf, Charles Berlitz passport to Japanese. It lists the word Shiro for white, no other words suggested.
'Tai-haku' is written with the Chinese characters tai ("thick" or "big") and haku ("white") --Kuitert, Japanese Flowering Cherries (1999, Timber Press, Portland)
I guess. Not that English doesn't have multiple different words that would probably translate to the same word in another language. And I suppose a Japanese person might have a frame of reference that we don't have, that would be used for understanding what seems to us to be a single meaning for multiple different words. Discussions of Japanese cultivar names by western authors rather often indicate more than one possible meaning.
Yes, the difference depends on the alphabet that's being used. Think about how many words English has for the concept "white." Why is it hard to reach the conclusion that other languages are similar in the sense of synonyms?
if you buy one dictionary Japanese/English ;English/Japanese is better of course japanese with english character.....in Italy is easy avaible "botanical dictionary" english/latin/italian;italian/latin/english. ex. oak/quercus/quercia ; quercia/ quercus/oak ciao
The Oxford-Duden Pictorial Japanese & English dictionary gives names for pretty much anything you ever wanted to know. The catch is that some of the names are in Kanji (the script that you have to be born to). A lot of them though, are in Katakana which is the phonetic script that translates directly into "a foreign language". For example: stone pine translates to Itaria Matsu-Italian pine. As for colours, Shiroi=white, Shirai=yellow, Akai=red, Aoi-blue, Kuroi=black and I can't remember what green is and its in Kanji. Sorry. Carl
