Japanese word

ゆり

Pronunciation

Romajiyuri

Meaning

  • nounlily

Example

白いゆりを一輪買いました。shiro i yu ri o ichi rin ka i ma shi ta

I bought a white lily.

Illustration for ゆり (lily)

More examples

母は玄関にゆりを生けて、部屋を明るくしました。haha wa gen kan ni yu ri o i ke te heya o aka ru ku shi ma shi ta

My mother arranged lilies by the entrance and brightened the room.

Core concept

Describes a flowering plant that rises from a bulb and produces a conspicuous bloom on a tall stem.

Common phrases

  • ゆりの香りyu ri no kao ri

    the scent of lilies

  • ゆりを生けるyu ri o i ke ru

    arrange lilies

Similar words

リリーrirī: A loanword used for the flower or plant, especially in names for products and decorations.

Definition in Japanese

地下の鱗茎から茎を伸ばし、大きな花を咲かせるユリ科ユリ属の多年草。chi ka no rin kei ka ra kuki o no ba shi ō ki na hana o sa ka se ru yu ri ka yu ri zoku no ta nen sō

Word origin

The Japanese native word ゆり (yuri, "lily") has an uncertain older origin, while 百合 (hyakugō, "hundred joins") is the established kanji spelling linked to the layered bulb.

Usage tips

  • The flower name ゆり (yuri) can refer to a single bloom or to the plant more generally, so Japanese number expressions clarify whether the speaker means one flower or a plant.

Word lists with this word