chrysanthemum

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 菊 is read きく, has 11 strokes, and relates to chrysanthemums.
• Basic usage: 菊 is read きく, and 春菊 is read しゅんぎく.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• 菊 and 春菊
  • 菊 means chrysanthemum.
  • 玄関に白い菊を一輪飾った。 means “I decorated the entrance with a single white chrysanthemum.”
  • 春菊 means chrysanthemum greens.
  • 鍋に春菊を入れると鮮やかな緑が映えた。 means “The vivid green stood out when I added chrysanthemum greens to the pot.”