雑草

• On’yomi
  • (Tokyo) ざっそー [zàssóó] (Heiban – [0])
  • IPA^(key): [d͡za̠sːo̞ː]

雑草 (hiragana ざっそう, rōmaji zassō, historical hiragana ざつさう)

1. weeds (unwanted plants)

   庭 (にわ)の雑 (ざっ)草 (そう)を抜 (ぬ)く

   niwa no zassō o nuku

   to weed the garden

   • 1991 July 15, Adachi, Mitsuru, “虫むしは虫むし、草くさは草くさの巻まき [Insects Are Only Insects, Grasses Are Only Grasses]”, in 虹色とうがらしＮＩＪＩ－ＩＲＯ　ＴＯＨＧＡＲＡＳＨＩ [Rainbow-Colored Peppers], volume 4 (fiction), Tokyo: Shogakukan, →ISBN, page 48:

     虫 (むし)は虫 (むし)、草 (くさ)は草 (くさ)だろ。

     Mushi wa mushi, kusa wa kusa daro.

     Insects are only insects, grasses are only grasses.

     え。

     E.

     Huh?

     害 (がい)虫 (ちゅう)も雑 (ざっ)草 (そう)も人 (にん)間 (げん)の勝 (かっ)手 (て)な都 (つ)合 (ごう)で分 (ぶん)類 (るい)されたもんだろ。

     Gaichū mo zassō mo ningen no katte na tsugō de bunruisareta mon daro.

     Putting them into categories like pests or weeds is just one of people’s arbitrary means.