茂 — “Overgrown / Grow Thick / Be Luxuriant” in Japanese

Master (高手)も, しげ

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“Overgrown / Grow Thick / Be Luxuriant” in Japanese is 茂, read mo, shige (も, しげ). 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 繁茂 (luxuriant growth).

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What does 茂 mean?

Full details, readings & example

Kanji	茂
Meaning	Overgrown / Grow Thick / Be Luxuriant
Readings	も, しげ
Grade	Master (高手 · secondary school)
Curriculum	Jōyō kanji · Japanese secondary school (JLPT N1–N2)
Example	繁茂 (luxuriant growth)

How to read 茂

茂 is read mo (も) or shige (しげ) depending on the word.

Words with 茂

繁茂

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Updated: 2026-08-28