柳

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 柳 is read as やなぎ and is a noun for a willow, a tree characteristically described with slender, drooping branches and leaves.
• Basic usage: Use 川岸の柳 for its location and 柳の下にベンチがある for the space beneath it.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Tree and spatial reference
  • The riverside willow is the subject swaying in the wind, while the old willow serves as the landmark locating the bench.
• Specific tree type
  • The fact that branches move in wind does not make every tree a 柳; the noun identifies a willow.