mulberry

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 桑 has 10 strokes and denotes the mulberry tree.
• Basic usage: 桑（くわ） means mulberry; 桑畑（くわばたけ） means a mulberry field.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Referring to part of the tree
  • 桑の葉 means mulberry leaves.
  • 蚕は桑の葉を食べて育つ describes silkworms growing by eating those leaves.
• Reading the field name
  • In 桑畑, 畑 is read ばたけ.
  • In 桑畑で落ちた葉を集めていた, で marks where someone was gathering fallen leaves.