Hanakotoba

Hanakotoba (花言葉, flower-language) is the Japanese language of flowers.

Since after World War II, the Japanese way of thinking, lifestyle and habits have been influenced by Western thoughts, therefore today it is not uncommon to find young Japanese people unaware of their own traditions, including the one about flowers and their meanings. They usually refer to the flower language of European origins, instead of their own.

Also, greeting cards made in Japan follow the codes in this flower language.

Flowers and their meanings

These flowers will be listed in alphabetical order by their names in English.

Kanji Name	Romaji	English	Meaning	Image
アマリリス	Amaririsu	Amaryllis	Shy	File:Amaryllis belladonna.jpg Amaryllis Belladonna
アネモネ	Anemone	Anemone(White)	Sincere	File:Anemone narcissifolia.jpg Anemone Narcissifolia
躑躅	Tsutsuji	Azalea	Patient/Modest	File:Redazalea.jpg Azalea
アムブロシアー	Amuburoshiā	Ambrosia	Pious	File:Ambrosia 5977.jpg Ambrosia
ブルーベル	Burūberu	Bluebell	Grateful	File:Hyacinthoides non-scripta (Common Bluebell).jpg Common Bluebell
カクタス	Kakutasu	Cactus	Lust/Sex	File:Cactus flower closeup03.jpg Cactus Flower
椿	Tsubaki	Camellia (Red)	In Love	File:Camellia japonica natural.jpg Camellia Japonica
椿	Tsubaki	Camellia (Yellow)	Longing	File:Camellia japonica Alba plena.jpg Camelia Japonica Alba Pena
椿	Tsubaki	Camellia (White)	Waiting	File:Camellia japonica 'Nobilissima'.jpg Camellia Japonica Nobilissima
カーネーション	Kānēshon	Carnation	Disappointed	File:Gartennelke 1.jpg Carnation
桜	Sakura	Cherry Blossom	Kind/Gentle	File:2UpcloseSakulower.jpg Cherry Blossom
黄菊	Kigiku	Chrysanthemum (Yellow)	Imperial	File:Zoo19feb (1).jpg Yellow Chrysanthemum
白菊	Shiragiku	Chrysanthemum (White)	Truth	File:Chrysanthemums.jpg Chrysanthemums
(四つ葉の) クローバー	(Yotsuba no) kurōbā	Four-leaf clover	Lucky	File:Four-leaf clover.jpg Four Leaf Clover
水仙	Suisen	Daffodil	Respect	File:Daffodills (Narcissus) - 25.jpg Daffodil
天竺牡丹	Tenjikubotan	Dahlia	Good taste	File:AKITA.jpg Dahlia
雛菊	Hinagiku	Daisy	Faith	File:Bellis perennis white (aka).jpg Daisy
エーデルワイス	Ēderuwaisu	Edelweiss	Courage/Power	File:LeontopodiumAlpinum-3.jpg Edelweiss
勿忘草	Wasurenagusa	Forget-me-not	True love	File:Forget-me-not closeup 2005 01.jpg Forget-me-not
フリージア	Furījia	Freesia	Childish/Immature	File:Freesia.jpg Freesia
梔子	Kuchinashi	Gardenia	Secret love	File:Gardenia.brighamii02.jpg Gardenia
ハイビースカス	Haibīsukasu	Hibiscus	Gentle	File:Hibicus0051.JPG Hibicus
忍冬	Suikazura	Honeysuckle	Generous	File:Lonicera ciliosa 10769.JPG Honeysuckle
紫陽花	Ajisai	Hydrangea	Pride	File:Light mauve hydrangea.jpg Hydrangea
アイリス, 菖蒲	Ayame	Iris	Good News/Glad tidings	File:Iris sanguinea 2007-05-13 361.jpg Iris
ジャスミン	Jasumin	Jasmine	Friendly/Graceful	File:Jasminum polyanthum0.jpg Jasmine
ラベンダー	Rabendā	Lavender	Faithful	File:Single lavendar flower02.jpg Lavender
白百合	Shirayuri	Lily (White)	Purity/Chastity	File:Lilium candidum 1.jpg White Lily
小百合	Sayuri	Lily (Orange)	Hatred/Revenge	File:2000px lillium michiganese.jpg Orange Lily
百合	Yuri	Lily of the Valley/Spider Lily	Sweet	File:Convallaria majalis l.jpg Lily of the Valley
鬼百合	Oniyuri	Tiger Lily	Wealth	File:Tigerlilysmall.jpg Tiger Lily
彼岸花 / 曼珠沙華	Higanbana / Manjushage	Red Spider Lily	Never to meet again/Lost memory/Abandonment	File:Red spider lily October 2007 Osaka Japan.jpg Red Spider Lily
蓮華	Renge	Lotus	Far from the one he loves/Purity/Chastity	File:Nelumbo nucifera1.jpg Lotus
マグノリア	Magunoria	Magnolia	Natural	File:Magnolia wieseneri.jpg Magnolia
ヤドリギ/ホーリー	Yadorigi/Hōrii	Mistletoe/Holly	Looking (Single and "--")	File:English holly.jpg Holly
朝顔	Asagao	Morning Glory	Willful promises	File:Morning Glory Flower.jpg Morning Glory
水仙	Suisen	Narcissus	Self-Esteem	File:Daffodills (Narcissus) - 25.jpg Narcissus
パンジー	Panjī	Pansy	Thoughtful/Caring	File:Viola (pansy) - 4.jpg Pansy
雛芥子	Hinageshi	Poppy (Red)	Fun-Loving	File:Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas).jpg Red Poppy
芥子(白)	Keshi(Shiro)	Poppy (White)	Rejoice	File:Matilija poppy closeup.jpg White Poppy
芥子(黄)	Keshi(Ki)	Poppy (Yellow)	Success	File:Stylophorum diphyllum - woodland poppy - desc-flower open.jpg Yellow Poppy
桜草	Sakurasō	Primrose	Desperate	File:Floare galbena bgiu.jpg Primrose
紅薔薇	Benibara	Rose (Red)	Love/In love	File:Small Red Rose.JPG Red Rose
薔薇	Bara	Rose (White)	Innocence/Silence/Devotion	File:Frenchlace3.JPG White Rose
黄色薔薇	Kiiroibara	Rose (Yellow)	Jealousy	File:Rosa-hugonis-flowers.JPG Yellow Rose
桃色薔薇	Momoirobara	Rose (Pink)	Trust/Happiness/Confidence	File:Bridal pink - morwell rose garden.jpg Pink Rose
スイートピー	Suītopī	Sweet Pea	Goodbye	File:Sweetpea closeup.jpeg Sweet Pea
チューリップ	Chūrippu	Tulip (Red)	Fame/Charity/Trust	File:Wild tulip in the steppe of Kazakhstan.jpg Red Tulip
チューリップ	Chūrippu	Tulip (Yellow)	One-Sided Love	File:Fringed tulip.jpg Yellow Tulip
美女桜	Bijozakura	Verbena	Cooperative	File:Verbena Purple 1.JPG Verbena
バイオレット	Baioretto	Violet	Honesty	File:5p pwy pansies.jpg Violet
百日草	Hyakunichisou	Zinnia	Loyalty	File:Zinnia-06.06.21.jpg Zinnia
?	?	?	?	?

Appearance of Hanakotoba in popular culture

• Flower language is used in many movies and animation in Japan, such as Weiss Kreuz and Shuffle!.
• Japanese musician Miyavi uses the lotus as his insignia sitting below the kanji for his name, which means elegance.
• In the anime HeartCatch PreCure!, when Cure Blossom and Cure Marine rescue a person's Heart Flower, either Cure Blossom, her grandmother, or Chypre and Coffret, two mascots, will interpret that flower's language.

See also

• Ikebana
• Ikenobo

External links

• Japanese Cultural Articles
• Flower Language(Japanese)
• Flower Lists(Japanese)
• Birthday Flowers(Japanese)
• birthmonth_flowers