枯れ木

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 枯れ木, read かれき, combines 枯れ (withering) and 木 (tree).
• Basic usage: It refers to a dead, withered tree, not merely one that is temporarily free of moisture.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• A tree may still be standing
  • 枯れ木に止まった means that the bird perched on the tree.
  • 倒れそうな枯れ木 describes a dead tree that looks likely to fall, not one that has already fallen.
• Related tree expressions
  • 枯れ木 focuses on a tree being dead or withered, whereas 倒木 focuses on its having fallen. One tree may fit both descriptions.