# 草

| 草 | U+8349, &#33609; CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-8349 |
| ← 荈 [U+8348] | CJK Unified Ideographs | 荊 → [U+834A] |

## Translingual
### Han character

草 (Kangxi radical 140, 艸+6, 10 strokes in traditional Chinese and Korean, 9 strokes in simplified Chinese and Japanese, cangjie input 廿日十 (TAJ), four-corner 4440$_6$, composition ⿱艹早)

#### Derived characters

* 愺, 騲(𮪤), 䓥, 𠹊, 𭡶, 𬃸, 𣺞, 𬊳, 𦞻, 𧤣, 𦹯, 𫶱, 𫥬, 𨕡, 𢾳, 𮐍, 𦹸, 𮏱, 𮐌, 𦺏, 𬞁, 𦷖, 𦹵, 𦾠, 𮑅, 𧄳, 𮒠, 𮒇, 𧅭, 𫊘, 𮓆, 𭆍, 𪋛, 𠌓, 𤌸, 𦸶, 𧄣, 𦳕

#### References

* Kangxi Dictionary: page 1030, character 17
* Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 30945
* Dae Jaweon: page 1489, character 14
* Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 5, page 3203, character 4
* Unihan data for U+8349

## Chinese
### Glyph origin

Historical forms of the character 草 :
| Shuowen Jiezi (compiled in Han) | Liushutong (compiled in Ming) |
| Small seal script | Transcribed ancient scripts |
| | Old Chinese |
| 早 | *ʔsuːʔ |
| 草 | *sʰuːʔ |
| 愺 | *sʰuːʔ |
| 騲 | *sʰuːʔ |
| 皁 | *zuːʔ |
| 皂 | *zuːʔ |
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声, OC *sʰuːʔ): semantic 艹 (“grass; plant”) + phonetic 早 (OC *ʔsuːʔ). Originally referred to 皂, and later borrowed for the “grass” sense, replacing 艸.

### Etymology 1

From Proto-Sino-Tibetan *r-tswa-n (“grass”); cognate with Tibetan རྩྭ (rtswa, “grass”) (Schuessler, 2007; STEDT).
Alternatively, it may be related to 芻 (OC *sʰro, “hay”), from Austroasiatic; compare Mon ချဲ (“grass; weeds; hay”) (Schuessler, 2007).

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Standard)
       (Pinyin): cǎo (cao$^3$)
       (Zhuyin): ㄘㄠˇ
    (Chengdu, Sichuanese Pinyin): cao$^3$
    (Dungan, Cyrillic and Wiktionary): цо (co, II)
* Cantonese
    (Guangzhou–Hong Kong, Jyutping): cou$^2$
    (Taishan, Wiktionary): tau$^2$
* Gan (Wiktionary): cau$^3$
* Hakka
    (Sixian, PFS): chhó
    (Hailu, HRS): co$^ˊ$
    (Meixian, Guangdong): cau$^3$
* Jin (Wiktionary): cau$^2$
* Northern Min (KCR): chǎu
* Eastern Min (BUC): chāu / chō̤
* Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing): cor$^3$ / cao$^3$
* Southern Min
    (Hokkien, POJ): chháu / chhó / chhó͘
    (Teochew, Peng'im): co$^2$ / cao$^2$
* Wu (Northern, Wugniu): $^5$tshau / $^3$tshau
* Xiang (Changsha, Wiktionary): cau$^3$
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cǎo
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄠˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cǎo
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻao$^3$
*** Yale: tsǎu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsao
*** Palladius: цао (cao)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴/
** (Chengdu)
*** Sichuanese Pinyin: cao$^3$
*** Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: cao
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰau⁵³/
** (Dungan)
*** Cyrillic and Wiktionary: цо (co, II)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɔ⁵¹/
    (Note: Dungan pronunciation is currently experimental and may be inaccurate.)
* Cantonese
** (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou–Hong Kong)
*** Jyutping: cou$^2$
*** Yale: chóu
*** Cantonese Pinyin: tsou$^2$
*** Guangdong Romanization: cou$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰou̯³⁵/
** (Taishanese, Taicheng)
*** Wiktionary: tau$^2$
*** Sinological IPA : /tʰau⁵⁵/
* Gan
** (Nanchang)
*** Wiktionary: cau$^3$
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰau²¹³/
* Hakka
** (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Neipu)
*** Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: chhó
*** Hakka Romanization System: co$^ˋ$
*** Hagfa Pinyim: co$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰo³¹/
** (Hailu, incl. Zhudong)
*** Hakka Romanization System: co$^ˊ$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰo²⁴/
** (Meixian)
*** Guangdong: cau$^3$
*** Sinological IPA: /t͡sʰau³¹/
* Jin
** (Taiyuan)
*** Wiktionary: cau$^2$
*** Sinological IPA (old-style): /t͡sʰau⁵³/
* Northern Min
** (Jian'ou)
*** Kienning Colloquial Romanized: chǎu
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰau²¹/
* Eastern Min
** (Fuzhou)
*** Bàng-uâ-cê: chāu / chō̤
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰau³³/, /t͡sʰo³³/
* chāu - vernacular;
* chō̤ - literary.
* Dialectal data
| Variety | Location | edit草 |
| Mandarin | Beijing | /t͡sʰɑu²¹⁴/ |
| Mandarin | Harbin | /t͡sʰau²¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Tianjin | /t͡sʰɑu¹³/ |
| Mandarin | Jinan | /t͡sʰɔ⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Qingdao | /t͡sʰɔ⁵⁵/ |
| Mandarin | Zhengzhou | /t͡sʰau⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Xi'an | /t͡sʰau⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Xining | /t͡sʰɔ⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Yinchuan | /t͡sʰɔ⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Lanzhou | /t͡sʰɔ⁴⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Ürümqi | /t͡sʰɔ⁵¹/ |
| Mandarin | Wuhan | /t͡sʰau⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Chengdu | /t͡sʰau⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Guiyang | /t͡sʰao⁴²/ |
| Mandarin | Kunming | /t͡sʰɔ⁵³/ |
| Mandarin | Nanjing | /t͡sʰɔo²¹²/ |
| Mandarin | Hefei | /t͡sʰɔ²⁴/ |
| Jin | Taiyuan | /t͡sʰau⁵³/ |
| Jin | Pingyao | /t͡sʰɔ⁵³/ |
| Jin | Hohhot | /t͡sʰɔ⁵³/ |
| Wu | Shanghai | /t͡sʰɔ³⁵/ |
| Wu | Suzhou | /t͡sʰæ⁵¹/ |
| Wu | Hangzhou | /t͡sʰɔ⁵³/ |
| Wu | Wenzhou | /t͡sʰɜ³⁵/ |
| Hui | Shexian | /t͡sʰɔ³⁵/ |
| Hui | Tunxi | /t͡sʰə³¹/ |
| Xiang | Changsha | /t͡sʰau⁴¹/ |
| Xiang | Xiangtan | /t͡sʰaɯ⁴²/ |
| Gan | Nanchang | /t͡sʰɑu²¹³/ |
| Hakka | Meixian | /t͡sʰau³¹/ |
| Hakka | Taoyuan | /t͡sʰo³¹/ |
| Cantonese | Guangzhou | /t͡sʰou³⁵/ |
| Cantonese | Nanning | /t͡sʰu³⁵/ |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | /t͡sʰou³⁵/ |
| Min | Xiamen (Hokkien) | /t͡sʰo⁵³/ /t͡sʰau⁵³/ |
| Min | Fuzhou (Eastern Min) | /t͡sʰau³²/ |
| Min | Jian'ou (Northern Min) | /t͡sʰau²¹/ |
| Min | Shantou (Teochew) | /t͡sʰau⁵³/ /t͡sʰo⁵³/ |
| Min | Haikou (Hainanese) | /sau²¹³/ |
* Middle Chinese: tshawX
Rime :
| Character | 草 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| Initial (聲) | 清 (14) |
| Final (韻) | 豪 (89) |
| Tone (調) | Rising (X) |
| Openness (開合) | Open |
| Division (等) | I |
| Fanqie | 采老切 |
| Baxter | tshawX |
| Reconstructions ||
| Zhengzhang Shangfang | /t͡sʰɑu$^X$/ |
| Pan Wuyun | /t͡sʰɑu$^X$/ |
| Shao Rongfen | /t͡sʰɑu$^X$/ |
| Edwin Pulleyblank | /t͡sʰaw$^X$/ |
| Li Rong | /t͡sʰɑu$^X$/ |
| Wang Li | /t͡sʰɑu$^X$/ |
| Bernhard Karlgren | /t͡sʰɑu$^X$/ |
| Expected Mandarin Reflex | cǎo |
| Expected Cantonese Reflex | cou$^2$ |
* Old Chinese
    (Baxter–Sagart): /*[tsʰ]ˤuʔ/
    (Zhengzhang): /*sʰuːʔ/
Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014) :
| Character | 草 | 草 |
| Reading # | 1/2 | 2/2 |
| Modern Beijing (Pinyin) | cǎo | cǎo |
| Middle Chinese | ‹ tshaw$^X$ › | ‹ tshaw$^X$ › |
| Old Chinese | /*[tsʰ]ˁuʔ/ | /*[tsʰ]ˁuʔ/ |
| English | grass, plants | rough, coarse |
| Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. *[t] as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p; * Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary. |||
Zhengzhang system (2003) :
| Character | 草 |
| Reading # | 1/1 |
| No. | 16547 |
| Phonetic component | 早 |
| Rime group | 幽 |
| Rime subdivision | 1 |
| Corresponding MC rime | 草 |
| Old Chinese | /*sʰuːʔ/ |
| Notes | 說文作艸 |

#### Definitions

草
* herbaceous plant; herb; weed; wort; grass; forb
       Cǎodì shàng yǒu yī tóu niú zài chī cǎo. [Pinyin]
       There is one cow eating grass on the lawn.
    香草 ― xiāngcǎo ― fragrant herb
    除草 ― chúcǎo ― to weed
    草木樨 ― cǎomùxī ― sweet clover
    草魚／草鱼 ― cǎoyú ― grass carp (a herbivorous fish)
* Used in names of some woody plants.
    莽草 ― mǎngcǎo ― Illicium henryi and Illicium lanceolatum
    舞草 ― wǔcǎo ― Codariocalyx motorius
    醉魚草／醉鱼草 ― zuìyúcǎo ― Buddleja lindleyana
* straw
    稻草 ― dàocǎo ― rice straw
    草鞋 ― cǎoxié ― straw sandals
* (Cantonese, slang) marijuana; cannabis; weed
    㨃草 [Cantonese] ― deoi$^2$ cou$^2$ [Jyutping] ― to smoke weed
* (dated) countryside; wilderness
    草野 ― cǎoyě ― wilderness
    落草為寇／落草为寇 ― luòcǎowéikòu ― to become a bandit in the countryside
* common; ordinary
    草民 ― cǎomín ― common people
    草球 ― cǎoqiú ― Echinopsis oxygona
    草金魚／草金鱼 ― cǎojīnyú ― common goldfish
    草龜／草龟 ― cǎoguī ― Mauremys reevesii (the most common turtle in China)
    草狗 ― cǎogǒu ― native breeds of dog
    草雞／草鸡 ― cǎojī ― native breeds of chiken
* (dialectal, chiefly of livestock or poultry) female (variant: 騲)
    草馬／草马 ― cǎomǎ ― female horse
    草狗 ― cǎogǒu ― female dog
    草雞／草鸡 ― cǎojī ― hen
* careless; rough; sloppy
    草率 ― cǎolǜ ― hasty
    草書／草书 ― cǎoshū ― cursive script
* (calligraphy) Short for 草書／草书 (cǎoshū, “cursive script (grass script)”).
    狂草 ― kuángcǎo ― wild cursive script
* draft; sketch
    草擬／草拟 ― cǎonǐ ― to draft; to draw up (a plan)
* (chemistry) oxalic

##### Synonyms

| Variety | Location | Words |
| Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | Formal (Written Standard Chinese) | 大麻 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Taiwan | 大麻 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Malaysia | 大麻 |
| Northeastern Mandarin | Singapore | 大麻 |
| Cantonese | Hong Kong | 大麻, 草 |
| Wu | Shanghai | 葉子 |

#### Compounds

* 一草一木
* 三白草
* 三真六草
* 上草 (shàngcǎo)
* 不死草
* 乾草 / 干草 (gāncǎo)
* 五五憲草 / 五五宪草
* 井口邊草 / 井口边草
* 今草
* 仙草 (xiāncǎo)
* 仙草蜜
* 仙鶴草 / 仙鹤草 (xiānhècǎo)
* 何草不黃 / 何草不黄
* 依草附木
* 倚草附木
* 偃草
* 具草
* 冬蟲夏草 / 冬虫夏草 (dōngchóngxiàcǎo)
* 出草 (chūcǎo)
* 刺草
* 削草
* 剗草除根 / 刬草除根
* 剪草除根
* 割草 (gēcǎo)
* 割草機 / 割草机 (gēcǎojī)
* 勁草 / 劲草 (jìngcǎo)
* 勿忘草 (wùwàngcǎo)
* 吃回頭草 / 吃回头草 (chī huítóucǎo)
* 吃夜草
* 君影草
* 含羞草 (hánxiūcǎo)
* 哈草
* 咸豐草
* 嗩吶草 / 唢呐草 (suǒnàcǎo)
* 嘗草 / 尝草
* 坐草
* 報草 / 报草
* 夏枯草 (xiàkūcǎo)
* 大草原
* 奇花異草 / 奇花异草 (qíhuāyìcǎo)
* 奏草
* 奧草 / 奥草
* 宿草
* 寢苫枕草 / 寝苫枕草
* 寸草
* 寸草不生 (cùncǎobùshēng)
* 寸草不留
* 寸草心
* 寸草春暉 / 寸草春晖
* 小草
* 屬草稿 / 属草稿
* 屯糧積草 / 屯粮积草
* 布草衣服
* 帶草 / 带草
* 帶草連真 / 带草连真
* 延齡草 / 延龄草
* 彩葉草 / 彩叶草
* 彭巴草原
* 忘憂草 / 忘忧草 (wàngyōucǎo)
* 惹草拈花
* 惹草沾花
* 惹草沾風 / 惹草沾风
* 惹草粘花
* 惹草黏花
* 扎草
* 打草兒 / 打草儿
* 打草驚蛇 / 打草惊蛇 (dǎcǎojīngshé)
* 招花惹草
* 拈花惹草 (niānhuārěcǎo)
* 拈花摘草
* 抱草瘟
* 招風惹草 / 招风惹草
* 指甲草
* 捕蠅草 / 捕蝇草 (bǔyíngcǎo)
* 探竿影草
* 排香草
* 接骨草 (jiēgǔcǎo, “Chinese elder”)
* 撈稻草 / 捞稻草
* 撥草尋蛇 / 拨草寻蛇
* 放牛吃草
* 敗草 / 败草
* 散血草
* 料草
* 斬草除根 / 斩草除根 (zhǎncǎochúgēn)
* 斷腸草 / 断肠草
* 昭和草
* 春草 (chūncǎo)
* 木犀草
* 本草 (běncǎo)
* 本草經 / 本草经
* 本草綱目 / 本草纲目 (Běncǎo Gāngmù)
* 本草藥學 / 本草药学
* 柴草 (cháicǎo)
* 橫草之功 / 横草之功
* 櫻草 / 樱草
* 殺人如草 / 杀人如草
* 毒草 (dúcǎo)
* 毛草
* 水草 (shuǐcǎo)
* 水蘊草 / 水蕴草
* 沿階草 / 沿阶草
* 沾風惹草 / 沾风惹草
* 油點草 / 油点草
* 浮皮潦草
* 海草 (hǎicǎo)
* 滑草
* 漠南草原
* 漫草
* 漢草 / 汉草 (hàn-chháu) (Min Nan)
* 潦潦草草
* 潦草
* 潦草塞責 / 潦草塞责
* 灰頭草面 / 灰头草面
* 烏拉草 / 乌拉草
* 焚草
* 熏草紙
* 燈心草 / 灯心草 (dēngxīncǎo)
* 燈草 / 灯草
* 燻草 / 熏草
* 牆上草 / 墙上草
* 牆花路草 / 墙花路草
* 牆頭草 / 墙头草 (qiángtóucǎo)
* 牛膝草 (niúxīcǎo)
* 牧草 (mùcǎo)
* 狂草 (kuángcǎo)
* 狗尾草 (gǒuwěicǎo)
* 狒狒草 (fèifèicǎo)
* 狼尾草
* 猩猩草
* 獨活草 / 独活草
* 琪花瑤草 / 琪花瑶草
* 瑞草 (ruìcǎo)
* 瑤草 / 瑶草
* 瑤草琪花 / 瑶草琪花
* 瓶爾小草 / 瓶尔小草
* 甘草 (gāncǎo, “licorice”)
* 甘草人物
* 甘草粉
* 甜根子草
* 異草 / 异草
* 異草奇花 / 异草奇花
* 疾風勁草 / 疾风劲草 (jífēngjìngcǎo)
* 發草 / 发草
* 發草帖 / 发草帖
* 白喜草
* 白花草
* 白草
* 百日草 (bǎirìcǎo)
* 百草 (bǎicǎo)
* 百草霜
* 皮草 (pícǎo)
* 益母草 (yìmǔcǎo)
* 盜仙草 / 盗仙草
* 盤固草 / 盘固草
* 相思草
* 知風草 / 知风草
* 石頭草 / 石头草
* 破草
* 碧草如茵
* 視如草芥 / 视如草芥
* 視若草芥 / 视若草芥
* 視草 / 视草
* 秋草
* 秋草人情
* 稗草
* 稻草 (dàocǎo)
* 穀草 / 谷草 (gǔcǎo)
* 稻草人 (dàocǎorén)
* 積草屯糧 / 积草屯粮
* 穢草 / 秽草
* 穿鼻草約 / 穿鼻草约
* 立草
* 粗肋草 (cūlècǎo)
* 粘花惹草
* 粟米草 (sùmǐcǎo)
* 糧多草廣 / 粮多草广
* 糧草 / 粮草 (liángcǎo)
* 紙草 / 纸草 (zhǐcǎo)
* 納草納料 / 纳草纳料
* 紫背草
* 紫草 (zǐcǎo)
* 結縷草 / 结缕草
* 結草 / 结草 (jiécǎo)
* 結草啣環 / 结草衔环 (jiécǎo xiánhuán)
* 結草銜環 / 结草衔环 (jiécǎo xiánhuán)
* 綠草如茵 / 绿草如茵
* 繡墩草 / 绣墩草
* 纈草 / 缬草 (xiécǎo)
* 羊真孔草
* 美人香草
* 翦草除根
* 肥田草
* 肺草 (fèicǎo)
* 胡蔓草
* 腐草
* 艾草 (àicǎo)
* 芒草 (mángcǎo)
* 花花草草
* 芝草 (zhīcǎo)
* 芳草 (fāngcǎo)
* 花草 (huācǎo)
* 芝草無根 / 芝草无根
* 茅草 (máocǎo)
* 茂草
* 茅草棚
* 草上霜
* 草上飛 / 草上飞
* 草人 (cǎorén)
* 草仔粿
* 草偃 (cǎoyǎn)
* 草假名 (cǎojiǎmíng)
* 草偃風從 / 草偃风从
* 草偃風行 / 草偃风行
* 草具 (cǎojù)
* 草具之陳 / 草具之陈
* 草刺兒 / 草刺儿
* 草創 / 草创 (cǎochuàng)
* 草包 (cǎobāo)
* 草原 (cǎoyuán)
* 草原氣候 / 草原气候
* 草叢 / 草丛 (cǎocóng)
* 草圖 / 草图 (cǎotú)
* 草團瓢 / 草团瓢
* 草地 (cǎodì)
* 草坪 (cǎopíng)
* 草堂 (cǎotáng)
* 草堆 (cǎoduī)
* 草埠湖 (Cǎobùhú)
* 草堂詩餘 / 草堂诗余
* 草場 / 草场 (cǎochǎng)
* 草墊子 / 草垫子 (cǎodiànzi)
* 草妖
* 草字 (cǎozì)
* 草字彙 / 草字汇
* 草字頭兒 / 草字头儿
* 草寇 (cǎokòu)
* 草實枳 / 草实枳
* 草寮
* 草寫 / 草写 (cǎoxiě)
* 草屋 (cǎowū)
* 草履蟲 / 草履虫 (cǎolǚchóng)
* 草屯 (Cǎotún)
* 草山
* 草嶺古道 / 草岭古道
* 草市
* 草帚兒 / 草帚儿
* 草帽 (cǎomào)
* 草帽緶 / 草帽缏 (cǎomàobiàn)
* 草店 (Cǎodiàn)
* 草底兒 / 草底儿
* 草廬 / 草庐
* 草廬三顧 / 草庐三顾
* 草房 (cǎofáng)
* 草把
* 草擬 / 草拟 (cǎonǐ)
* 草料 (cǎoliào)
* 草昧 (cǎomèi)
* 草書 / 草书 (cǎoshū)
* 草木 (cǎomù)
* 草木樨 (cǎomùxī)
* 草木灰 (cǎomùhuī)
* 草木皆兵 (cǎomùjiēbīng)
* 草木知威
* 草木驚心 / 草木惊心
* 草本 (cǎoběn)
* 草本植物 (cǎoběn zhíwù)
* 草東 / 草东 (Cǎodōng)
* 草案 (cǎo'àn)
* 草根 (cǎogēn)
* 草根大使
* 草棚 (cǎopéng)
* 草棉 (cǎomián)
* 草榻
* 草標兒 / 草标儿
* 草橋店 / 草桥店
* 草檄
* 草次
* 草民 (cǎomín)
* 草泥馬 / 草泥马 (cǎonímǎ)
* 草港 (Cǎogǎng)
* 草滿囹圄 / 草满囹圄
* 草澤 / 草泽 (cǎozé)
* 草澤醫 / 草泽医
* 草灰 (cǎohuī)
* 草炭 (cǎotàn)
* 草烏 / 草乌
* 荒煙蔓草 / 荒烟蔓草
* 草率 (cǎoshuài)
* 草率將事 / 草率将事
* 草率收兵 (cǎoshuàishōubīng)
* 草甸子 (cǎodiànzi)
* 草略 (cǎolüè)
* 草皮 (cǎopí)
* 草盤地 / 草盘地 (Cǎopándì)
* 草石蠶 / 草石蚕
* 草科
* 草稿 (cǎogǎo)
* 草窩棚 / 草窝棚
* 草竊 / 草窃
* 草篆
* 草簽 / 草签 (cǎoqiān)
* 草約 / 草约 (cǎoyuē)
* 草紇繨 / 草纥𫄤
* 草紙 / 草纸 (cǎozhǐ)
* 草綠 / 草绿 (cǎolǜ)
* 草編 / 草编 (cǎobiān)
* 草聖 / 草圣
* 草腹菜腸 / 草腹菜肠
* 草臺班子 / 草台班子 (cǎotái bānzi)
* 草舍 (cǎoshè)
* 草船
* 草芥 (cǎojiè)
* 草花蛇
* 草茅
* 草茅之臣
* 荒草 (huāngcǎo)
* 草草 (cǎocǎo)
* 茜草 (qiàncǎo)
* 草荐 (cǎojiàn)
* 草荒 (cǎohuāng)
* 草草了事 (cǎocǎoliǎoshì)
* 草莓 (cǎoméi)
* 草莽 (cǎomǎng)
* 草莽英雄
* 草菇 (cǎogū)
* 草菅 (cǎojiān)
* 草萊 / 草莱
* 草菴 / 草庵
* 草菅人命 (cǎojiānrénmìng)
* 草葉集 / 草叶集
* 草蓆 / 草席 (cǎoxí)
* 草薙禽獮 / 草剃禽狝
* 草藤
* 草藥 / 草药 (cǎoyào)
* 草蘭 / 草兰
* 草蛭
* 草蜻蛉
* 草蜘蛛
* 草蝦 / 草虾 (cǎoxiā)
* 草螽 (cǎozhōng)
* 草蟲 / 草虫 (cǎochóng)
* 草行露宿
* 草衣
* 草衣木食
* 草裙舞 (cǎoqúnwǔ)
* 草詔 / 草诏 (cǎozhào)
* 草賊 / 草贼 (cǎozéi)
* 草質莖 / 草质茎 (cǎozhìjīng)
* 荒郊草野
* 草鄙
* 草酸 (cǎosuān)
* 草里 (Cǎolǐ)
* 草野 (cǎoyě)
* 草長鶯飛 / 草长莺飞
* 草間求活 / 草间求活
* 草隸 / 草隶
* 草雞 / 草鸡 (cǎojī)
* 草雞毛 / 草鸡毛
* 草雞蛋 / 草鸡蛋
* 草靡風行 / 草靡风行
* 草鞋 (cǎoxié)
* 草鞋親 / 草鞋亲
* 草鞋錢 / 草鞋钱
* 草頭大王 / 草头大王
* 草頭天子 / 草头天子
* 草頭方兒 / 草头方儿
* 草頭神 / 草头神
* 草頭藥 / 草头药
* 草頭露 / 草头露
* 草驢 / 草驴 (cǎolǘ)
* 草體 / 草体 (cǎotǐ)
* 草魚 / 草鱼 (cǎoyú)
* 莽榛蔓草
* 莠狗尾草
* 莎草 (suōcǎo)
* 莽草 (mǎngcǎo)
* 莝草
* 菁芳草
* 菸草 / 烟草 (yāncǎo)
* 萱草 (xuāncǎo)
* 落草 (luòcǎo)
* 落草為寇 / 落草为寇 (luòcǎowéikòu)
* 落草為盜 / 落草为盗
* 蒿草 (hāocǎo)
* 蓑草 (suōcǎo)
* 蒲草
* 蓍草 (shīcǎo)
* 蔓徑荒草 / 蔓径荒草
* 蔓草 (màncǎo)
* 蕙草
* 藍姑草 / 蓝姑草
* 藎草 / 荩草 (jìncǎo)
* 薰草
* 藉草枕塊 / 借草枕块
* 藥草 / 药草 (yàocǎo)
* 蘭草 / 兰草 (láncǎo)
* 虎耳草 (hǔ'ěrcǎo)
* 蚰蜒草
* 蜈蚣草
* 蟋蟀草
* 蟲草 / 虫草 (chóngcǎo)
* 觀音草 / 观音草
* 諫草 / 谏草
* 豐草 / 丰草
* 豬籠草 / 猪笼草 (zhūlóngcǎo)
* 豬鬃草 / 猪鬃草
* 起草 (qǐcǎo)
* 車前草 / 车前草 (chēqiáncǎo)
* 車葉草 / 车叶草
* 車軸草 / 车轴草
* 輕塵弱草 / 轻尘弱草
* 返魂草
* 通草 (tōngcǎo)
* 通草灰
* 通草紙 / 通草纸
* 連錢草 / 连钱草
* 酢漿草 / 酢浆草 (cùjiāngcǎo)
* 野有蔓草
* 野草 (yěcǎo)
* 野草叢生 / 野草丛生
* 野草閒花 / 野草闲花
* 金梅草
* 金瘡小草 / 金疮小草
* 金盞草 / 金盏草 (jīnzhǎncǎo)
* 金線草 / 金线草
* 金魚草 / 金鱼草 (jīnyúcǎo)
* 銜環結草 / 衔环结草
* 銀線草 / 银线草
* 鋒芒草 / 锋芒草 (fēngmángcǎo)
* 鋤草 / 锄草 (chúcǎo)
* 鋸齒草 / 锯齿草
* 鍘草 / 铡草
* 鍘草機 / 铡草机
* 長林豐草 / 长林丰草
* 閒花野草 / 闲花野草
* 閭巷草野 / 闾巷草野
* 除草 (chúcǎo)
* 除草劑 / 除草剂 (chúcǎojì)
* 除蟲草 / 除虫草
* 隨心草兒 / 随心草儿
* 隰草
* 隱身草兒 / 隐身草儿
* 隸草 / 隶草
* 雜草 / 杂草 (zácǎo)
* 雜草叢生 / 杂草丛生
* 露草
* 青草 (qīngcǎo)
* 青草湖
* 非草書 / 非草书
* 章草
* 風兵草甲 / 风兵草甲
* 風吹草低 / 风吹草低
* 風吹草動 / 风吹草动 (fēngchuīcǎodòng)
* 風燭草露 / 风烛草露
* 風草 / 风草
* 風行草偃 / 风行草偃 (fēngxíngcǎoyǎn)
* 風行草從 / 风行草从
* 風行草靡 / 风行草靡
* 飯糗茹草 / 饭糗茹草
* 香草 (xiāngcǎo)
* 香草精 (xiāngcǎojīng)
* 香草美人
* 香草醛 (xiāngcǎoquán)
* 馬頭草檄 / 马头草檄
* 驚蛇入草 / 惊蛇入草
* 髮草 / 发草 (fàcǎo)
* 鬥百草 / 斗百草
* 鬥草 / 斗草
* 鬼針草 / 鬼针草
* 魏顆結草 / 魏颗结草
* 魚腥草 / 鱼腥草 (yúxīngcǎo)
* 鳳尾草 / 凤尾草
* 鴨舌草 / 鸭舌草
* 鴨跖草 / 鸭跖草 (yāzhícǎo)
* 鵝掌草 / 鹅掌草
* 鵝觀草 / 鹅观草
* 鶯飛草長 / 莺飞草长
* 鹽酸草 / 盐酸草
* 鹿草 (Lùcǎo)
* 鹿草鄉 / 鹿草乡
* 鼠麴草 / 鼠曲草
* 龍牙草 / 龙牙草 (lóngyácǎo)
* 龍舌草 / 龙舌草
* 龍鬚草 / 龙须草

#### Descendants

* → Japanese: 草(そう) (sō)
* → Korean: 초(草) (cho)
* → Vietnamese: thảo (草)
Others:
* Vietnamese: tháu (“scrawling”)

### Etymology 2

* For pronunciation and definitions of 草 – see 皂 (“black; acorn; etc.”). (This character is a variant form of 皂).

### Etymology 3
#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cǎo (cao$^3$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄠˇ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cǎo
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄠˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cǎo
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻao$^3$
*** Yale: tsǎu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsao
*** Palladius: цао (cao)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

#### Definitions

草
* (slang, euphemistic, Internet slang) Alternative form of 肏 (“fuck”)

### Etymology 4

Orthographic borrowing from Japanese 草 (kusa, “LOL”). See the Japanese entry for more information.
As an interjection, this term is easily confused with the native “fuck” sense above. To distinguish between the two senses, 中國語／中国语 (Zhōngguóyǔ, “Chinese”) and 日本語／日本语 (Rìběnyǔ, “Japanese”) are usually put in parentheses following the term to specify which sense is intended.

#### Pronunciation

* Mandarin
    (Pinyin): cǎo (cao$^3$)
    (Zhuyin): ㄘㄠˇ
* Mandarin
** (Standard Chinese)
*** Hanyu Pinyin: cǎo
*** Zhuyin: ㄘㄠˇ
*** Tongyong Pinyin: cǎo
*** Wade–Giles: tsʻao$^3$
*** Yale: tsǎu
*** Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tsao
*** Palladius: цао (cao)
*** Sinological IPA : /t͡sʰɑʊ̯²¹⁴/

#### Definitions

草
* (neologism, Internet slang) LOL
    草（中日雙語）／草（中日双语） ― cǎo (zhōngrì shuāngyǔ) ― fuck lmao (literally, “草 (in Chinese and Japanese)”)
* (neologism, Internet slang) hilarious
    這也太草了吧。／这也太草了吧。 ― Zhè yě tài cǎo le ba. ― Isn't this a bit too hilarious?

### References

* “草”, in 漢語多功能字庫 (Multi-function Chinese Character Database)‎, 香港中文大學 (the Chinese University of Hong Kong), 2014–

## Japanese
### Kanji

(First grade kyōiku kanji)

#### Readings

* Go-on: そう (sō, Jōyō)
* Kan-on: そう (sō, Jōyō)
* Kun: くさ (kusa, 草, Jōyō)
* Nanori: そ (so)、や (ya)、かや (kaya)、しげ (shige)

#### Compounds

* 篝(かがり)火(び)草(そう) (kagaribisō): cyclamen
* 霞草(かすみそう) (kasumisō)
* 鹿(か)の子(こ)草(そう) (kanokosō): valerian
* 甘草(かんぞう) (kanzō): licorice
* 吉草(きっそう) (kissō): valerian
* 纈草(けっそう) (kessō): valerian
* 香草(こうそう) (kōsō): fragrant herb
* 嫩草(どんそう) (donsō): young grass
* 波布草(はぶそう) (habusō): coffee senna
* 菠薐草(ほうれんそう) (hōrensō): spinach
* 薬草(やくそう) (yakusō): medicinal herb or plants
* 緑(りょく)草(そう) (ryokusō): lush green grass
* 霊草(れいそう) (reisō): mysterious or mystical herb or plants
* 草書(そうしょ) (sōsho): grass script (cursive writing)
* 穀草(こくそう) (kokusō): cereal, rice grasses
* 草原(そうげん) (sōgen): grassland, meadow

### Etymology 1

* Kanji in this term
* 草
* くさ Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
* Alternative spelling
* 艸 (uncommon)
From Old Japanese, ultimately from Proto-Japonic *kusa. Found in the Man'yōshū, completed some time after 759 CE. Possibly cognate with Korean 꽃 (kkot, “flower”).
The development of the fake, amateur senses is unclear, but probably from an earlier meaning green, referring to the color of the grass.

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) くさ [kùsáꜜ] (Odaka –)
* IPA: [kɯ̟̊sa̠]

#### Noun

草(くさ) • (kusa)
* grass
    Synonym: (in reference to a lawn) 芝生 (shibafu)
    草(くさ)を刈(か)る
       kusa o karu
       to cut grass
* a weed
* a herb
    Synonyms: ハーブ (hābu), (medicinal) 薬草 (yakusō), (cooking) 香草 (kōsō)
* a scout, a spy (from the way one would hide in the grass to observe enemy troops)
* (figurative, slang, rare) pubic hair

#### Derived terms

* 草(くさ)冠(かんむり) (kusakanmuri): "grass crown"
* 草(くさ)木(き) (kusaki): grass(es) and trees - plants
* 草(くさ)薙(なき)の剣(つるぎ) (Kusanaki no Tsurugi): Kusanagi no Tsurugi
* 駒(コマ)草(クサ) (komakusa): Dicentra peregrina
* 七(なな)草(くさ)の節句(せっく) (nanakusa no sekku): the festival of seven herbs
* 豚(ぶた)草(くさ) (butakusa): common ragweed
* ぺんぺん草(ぐさ) (penpengusa): shepherd's purse
* 鎧(よろい)草(ぐさ) (yoroigusa): Angelica dahurica

#### Prefix

草(くさ) • (kusa-)
* a fake, a mimic, not the real thing
    草(くさ)蜉蝣(かげろう)
       kusakagerō
       a lacewing fly (literally, “fake or mimic dragonfly”, from the visual resemblance)
* amateur, small-time
    草(くさ)野(や)球(きゅう)、草(くさ)競(けい)馬(ば)
       kusayakyū, kusakeiba
       amateur or pick-up baseball, small-time horse-racing

### Etymology 2

* Kanji in this term
* 草
* そう Grade: 1
* on'yomi
/sau/ → /sɔː/ → /soː/
From Middle Chinese 草 (MC tshawX).

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) そー [sóꜜò] (Atamadaka – [1])
* IPA: [so̞ː]

#### Noun

草(そう) • (sō)
* grass
* a draft, a rough copy
* cursive, calligraphy in a running hand
* something unofficial, an informal abbreviation or knock-off

##### Synonyms

* (draft): 草案(そうあん) (sōan)
* (cursive): 草書(そうしょ) (sōsho, a document), 草仮名(そうがな) (sōgana, phonetic man'yōgana characters written in cursive)

### Etymology 3

* Kanji in this term
* 草
* くさ Grade: 1
* kun'yomi
From the resemblance of multiple repetitions of w (w, “LOL”) to grass: wwwwwwwww.
Possibly influenced by the term くすくす (kusukusu), an adverb indicating stifled laughter. (Can this etymology be sourced?)

#### Pronunciation

* (Tokyo) くさ [kùsáꜜ] (Odaka –)
* IPA: [kɯ̟̊sa̠]

#### Interjection

草(くさ) • (kusa)
* (Internet slang) LOL

#### Noun

草(くさ) • (kusa)
* (Internet slang) "grass", in reference to the expression w (w, “LOL”); LOLs

#### Phrase

草(くさ) • (kusa)
* Ellipsis of 草(が)生える (kusa (ga) haeru, literally “grass grows”): (Internet slang) … it's hilarious
    Synonyms: 草(が)生える (kusa (ga) haeru, literally “grass grows”), 笑える (waraeru, “(it is) laughable”)
    鯖(さば)落(お)ちてて草(くさ)
       saba ochitete kusa
       lol the server's down
    下手(へた)すぎて草(くさ)
       heta-sugite kusa
       hilariously shitty
    4日(よっか)しかないのは草(くさ)
       yokka shika nai no wa kusa
       only 4 days left haha
    つべで紹介(しょうかい)されてて草(くさ)
       Tsube de shōkai saretete kusa
       it got introduced on YouTube lol

##### Derived terms

* 大草原(だいそうげん) (daisōgen, literally “great fields of grass”)
* 草(くさ)生(は)える (kusa haeru, literally “grass grows”)
* 草(くさ)不可避(ふかひ) (kusa fukahi, literally “grass is unavoidable”)

#### See also

* 大爆笑(だいばくしょう) (daibakushō)
* 笑(わら) (wara)

### References

* ↑ “草・艸”, in 日本国語大辞典 [Nihon Kokugo Daijiten]‎ (in Japanese), concise edition, Tokyo: Shogakukan, 2006
* 1 2 3 NHK Broadcasting Culture Research Institute, editor (1998), NHK日本語発音アクセント辞典 [NHK Japanese Pronunciation Accent Dictionary] (in Japanese), Tokyo: NHK Publishing, Inc., →ISBN
* 1 2 3 Matsumura, Akira, editor (2006), 大辞林 [Daijirin] (in Japanese), Third edition, Tokyo: Sanseidō, →ISBN

## Korean
### Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Middle Korean readings, if any”)

### Pronunciation

* (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA: [t͡ɕʰo̞]
* Phonetic hangul: [초]

### Hanja

Wikisource 草 (eumhun 풀 초 (pul cho))
* hanja form of 초 (“grass”)

## Vietnamese
### Han character

草: Hán Nôm readings: thảo, tháu, xáo
* chữ Hán form of thảo (“grass; herbs; draft”).
* chữ Hán form of Thảo (“a female given name”).
    阮氏芳草 ― Nguyễn Thị Phương Thảo

#### Compounds

* 撰草 (soạn thảo)
* 樸草 (phác thảo)
* 版草 (bản thảo)
* 甘草 (cam thảo)
* 百草 (bách thảo)
* 草原 (thảo nguyên)
* 草木 (thảo mộc)
* 草禽園 (thảo cầm viên)
* 草藥 (thảo dược)
* 香草 (hương thảo)

#### References

* Nom Foundation