Translation guide
A vine-grown fruit used as a vegetable or dried into a container. In Japanese contexts, it often refers to the calabash gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) and its culinary or cultural uses.
Referring to the bottle gourd plant or its fruit in a general sense, such as in gardening or cooking.
The most common word for bottle gourd, especially the dried, hollowed-out gourd used as a container or decoration. Also refers to the plant and fresh fruit.
庭で瓢箪を育てています。
I'm growing bottle gourds in my garden.
瓢箪の形が面白いですね。
The shape of the bottle gourd is interesting, isn't it?
Specifically the variety of bottle gourd with white flowers that bloom in the evening. Often used for the young fruit eaten as a vegetable.
夕顔の花は夕方に咲きます。
The bottle gourd flowers bloom in the evening.
A less common term, sometimes used in literary or Chinese-influenced contexts. Can refer to the gourd or its shape.
葫芦は縁起物とされています。
The bottle gourd is considered a lucky charm.
Referring to the hard, hollowed-out shell of a bottle gourd used as a water flask, sake container, or decoration.
The standard term for a dried gourd container. Often associated with traditional Japanese culture, such as the 'hyōtan' carried by samurai or used in folk tales.
彼は瓢箪に水を入れて持ち歩いていた。
He carried water in a bottle gourd.
この瓢箪は祖父の形見です。
This bottle gourd is a memento from my grandfather.
Referring to the bottle gourd as a food ingredient, typically the young, tender fruit.
The most common term for the edible bottle gourd in cooking. Often used in simmered dishes or as a sushi roll ingredient (kampyō).
夕顔を煮物にしました。
I made a simmered dish with bottle gourd.
Dried shavings of bottle gourd, rehydrated and used in sushi rolls (kampyō maki) or simmered dishes. This is the processed form, not the fresh vegetable.
While primarily the dried gourd, in some contexts it can refer to the edible fruit, but 夕顔 is much more common for food.
Using 瓢箪 for the edible vegetable may cause confusion; it's better to use 夕顔 or 干瓢.
Referring to the bottle gourd in proverbs, art, or as a symbol of good luck.
A proverb meaning 'a horse from a gourd' – something unexpected or unbelievable happening. Equivalent to 'out of the blue' or 'a bolt from the blue'.
彼の成功はまさに瓢箪から駒だった。
His success was truly unexpected.
A proverb meaning 'trying to pin down a catfish with a gourd' – attempting something slippery or impossible. Used to describe a futile effort.
彼を説得するのは瓢箪で鯰を押さえるようなものだ。
Trying to persuade him is like trying to pin down a catfish with a gourd.
瓢箪 (hyōtan) usually refers to the dried, hollow gourd used as a container or decoration, while 夕顔 (yūgao) is the fresh vegetable. If you're talking about eating it, use 夕顔 or 干瓢 (kampyō) for the dried shavings.
Bottle gourds are considered lucky charms in Japan. You'll often see them as decorations at temples or in traditional homes. The shape is also used in logos and art.
Kampyō rolls are my favorite.
干瓢を水で戻してから煮ます。
Rehydrate the dried gourd shavings in water before simmering.
瓢箪の若い実は食べられます。
Young bottle gourd fruits are edible.