A term primarily referring to grass or weeds, extended in internet slang to mean laughter due to the visual similarity of repeated 'w' characters to grass, and also used to denote a rough draft or sketch.
It is still at the draft stage so I cannot show it.
庭に草が生えている。
Grass is growing in the garden.
草すぎて笑い止まらない。
It's so funny (lol) I can't stop laughing.
その冗談、マジで草。
That joke is seriously lol.
漫画の草を描く。
Draw a draft for the manga.
Similar words
野草
ワロタ
雑草
ｗ
芝生
www
草案
草稿
メモ
ｗｗｗ
Meanings
Grass or weeds
noun
nature
neutral
Plants with jointed stems, slender leaves, and inconspicuous flowers, typically growing in lawns, fields, or wild areas.
Usage
Use 草 for general vegetation like grass or weeds, and 芝生 (shibafu) specifically for manicured lawns.
Examples
庭に草が生えている。
Grass is growing in the garden.
子供が草の上で寝転がっている。
The child is lying on the grass.
週末に草むしりをした。
I pulled weeds over the weekend.
野原にはたくさんの草が咲いている。
There are many grasses blooming in the field.
道端に草が伸びていた。
Grass had grown by the roadside.
牛が草を食べている。
The cow is eating grass.
Common mistakes
Using 草 for a manicured lawn when 芝生 (shibafu) is more appropriate, or confusing it with trees.
Incorrect
Correct
ゴルフ場で草を刈る。
ゴルフ場で芝生を刈る。
大きな草の下で休む。
大きな木の下で休む。
花壇に草を植えた。
花壇に花を植えた。
Similar words
芝生
雑草
植物
草木
草花
野草
牧草
イネ科
Laughter (lol)
noun
internet
slang
Internet slang representing laughter, equivalent to 'lol', derived from the visual resemblance of repeated 'w' characters (from 'warau', to laugh) to blades of grass.
Usage
Use 草 in casual online text messaging to indicate something is funny, similar to 'lol' in English.
Examples
その冗談、マジで草。
That joke is seriously lol.
動画を見て草が生えた。
I watched the video and lol'd hard.
草すぎて笑い止まらない。
It's so funny (lol) I can't stop laughing.
掲示板のレスに草を連投する。
Spamming 'lol' in the forum replies.
彼の失敗談は草だった。
His story of failure was hilarious.
それ、草。
That's lol.
Common mistakes
Using the slang term in formal communication or confusing the slang meaning with the literal plant.
Incorrect
Correct
社長、草です。
社長、笑いました。
この草は美味しい。
この野菜は美味しい。
会議で草と言いました。
会議で笑いました。
Similar words
笑
www
爆笑
ワロタ
ｗｗｗ
ｗ
笑う
面白い
Rough draft
noun
writing
neutral
A preliminary version of a piece of writing or a drawing, not yet in its final form.
Usage
Use 草 (often in compounds like 草稿) to refer to unfinished or preliminary work.
Examples
小説の草を書き始めた。
I started writing the draft of the novel.
まだ草の段階なので見せられません。
It is still at the draft stage so I cannot show it.
漫画の草を描く。
Draw a draft for the manga.
草を清書する時間がない。
I don't have time to clean up the draft.
企画書の草を作成する。
Create a draft of the proposal.
草を修正してから提出します。
I will revise the draft before submitting it.
Common mistakes
Confusing the draft with the final version or using the term in contexts unrelated to writing or planning.
Incorrect
Correct
原稿はもう草です。
原稿はもう完成です。
草を清書してください。
下書きを清書してください。
絵の草が見えない。
絵のラフが見えない。
Similar words
下書き
粗筋
ラフ
草稿
草案
素描
概略
メモ
Usage
Distinguish between the literal plant meaning, the slang usage for laughter, and the figurative use for drafts based on context.
Common mistakes
Using 草 for a manicured lawn when 芝生 (shibafu) is more appropriate, or using the slang term in formal communication.
Etymology
The character is a phono-semantic compound consisting of the grass radical 艹 and the phonetic component 早.
FAQ
What does 'kusa' mean in Japanese text?
In text messaging, 'kusa' (草) is slang for laughter, equivalent to 'lol'.
Why does 'kusa' mean laughter?
It comes from 'warau' (to laugh), represented by 'w'. Repeated 'w' (www) looks like grass, hence 'kusa'.
Is 'kusa' formal language?
No, the slang usage of 'kusa' is informal and should not be used in formal contexts.
What is the difference between 'kusa' and 'shibafu'?
'Kusa' refers to general grass or weeds, while 'shibafu' refers to a manicured lawn or turf.
Can 'kusa' mean a draft?
Yes, 'kusa' can refer to a rough draft or preliminary sketch, often seen in compounds like 'sōkō' (草稿).
How do you write 'kusa' in kanji?
The kanji for 'kusa' is 草.
Is 'kusa' used in spoken conversation?
The literal meaning 'grass' is spoken, but the slang meaning 'lol' is primarily used in text or online communication.
Comments & contributions
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