also: きこく
noun
trifoliate orange; hardy orange
A thorny deciduous shrub or small tree, often used as a rootstock for citrus or as a hedge. The fruit is very sour and not eaten raw.
カラタチの実は小さくて酸っぱい。
The fruit of the trifoliate orange is small and sour.
庭の隅にカラタチの生け垣がある。
There is a trifoliate orange hedge in the corner of the garden.
Alternate kanji spelling with the reading きこく; very rare.
Rare kanji spelling; mainly encountered in botanical or literary contexts.
Single-character abbreviation; extremely rare.
Yuzu is a different citrus fruit, widely used in Japanese cuisine for its aromatic zest and juice, while カラタチ is mainly ornamental or used as rootstock.
The name カラタチ is thought to derive from 唐橘 (からたちばな), literally 'Chinese mandarin orange', reflecting its introduction from China. The exact historical derivation is uncertain.