苗 — “Seedling / Sapling / Shoot” in Japanese

Master (高手)びょう, みょう, なえ, なわ-

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“Seedling / Sapling / Shoot” in Japanese is 苗, read byou, myou, nae (びょう, みょう, なえ, なわ-). It is a Jōyō kanji taught in Japanese secondary school (junior & senior high) — the 高手 · Master tier beyond the grade 1–6 Kyōiku set, and appears in words such as 苗木 (sapling).

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What does 苗 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	苗
Meaning	Seedling / Sapling / Shoot
Readings	びょう, みょう, なえ, なわ-
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	苗木 (sapling)

How to read 苗

苗 is read byou (びょう) or myou (みょう) or nae (なえ) or nawa (なわ-) depending on the word.

Words with 苗

苗木

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Kanji read the same way as 苗

Same sound, different character — the classic trap. Compare them side by side:

Updated: 2026-08-28