noun
General term for melons and gourds, including cucumbers, watermelons, and other cucurbitaceous plants.
夏になると、祖母が畑で瓜を育てる。
In summer, my grandmother grows melons in the field.
この瓜はとても甘くて美味しい。
This melon is very sweet and delicious.
The origin is uncertain, but the word has been used since Old Japanese to refer to melons and gourds.