桂花

Japanese

Wikipedia ^ja

Kanji in this term
桂	花

Wikipedia

桂花

Etymology 1

From Sinitic 桂花.

Noun

桂花 (hiragana けいか, romaji keika, historical hiragana けいくゎ)

1. the orange-blooming variety of Osmanthus fragrans
2. the flowers of the orange-blooming variety of Osmanthus fragrans

Usage notes

The tree itself is more commonly known in Japanese as 金木犀 or キンモクセイ (kinmokusei). In reference to the sweet osmanthus, the term 桂花 appears to be reserved for compounds.

Compounds

• 桂花茶 (けいかちゃ, keikacha): sweet osmanthus tea, a tea flavored with sweet osmanthus blossoms
• 桂花醤 (けいかしょう, keikashō): sweet osmanthus sauce, a sweet sauce flavored with sweet osmanthus blossoms
• 桂花陳酒 (けいふぁちんしゅ, keika chinshu): sweet osmanthus wine, an aged white whine flavored with sweet osmanthus blossoms

Synonyms

• 金木犀 (きんもくせい, キンモクセイ, kinmokusei)

See also

• 木犀 (もくせい, モクセイ, mokusei): Osmanthus fragrans in general
• 銀木犀 (ぎんもくせい, ギンモクセイ, ginmokusei): the white-blooming variety of Osmanthus fragrans

Etymology 2

From a Chinese legend that the phases of the moon were caused by 桂 trees (kei in Japanese: general name for Lauraceae and other fragrant trees), which would bud, blossom, then drop their flowers and leaves again as if in accelerated seasons. Literally, "kei flower", likening the phases of the moon to the budding and blooming of the trees.

Noun

桂花 (hiragana けいか, romaji keika, historical hiragana けいくゎ)

1. (euphemistic) the moon

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Mandarin

simpl. and trad.
桂花

Etymology

From 桂 ("cinnamon" or "cassia") + 花 ("flower").

Noun

桂花 (traditional and simplified, Pinyin guìhuā)

1. sweet osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans)

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Min Nan

simpl. and trad.
桂花

Etymology

From 桂 ("cinnamon" or "cassia") + 花 ("flower").

Noun

桂花 (traditional and simplified, POJ kùi-hoe)

1. the flower of the sweet osmanthus (Osmanthus fragrans)

桂花