百合（ゆり、yuri）
- lily

The Japanese word 百合 (ゆり, yuri) has two main meanings: ⚫︎ It primarily refers to "lily," the flower. There are various species of lilies found in Japan and around the world, and 百合 is the general term for them. ⚫︎ Secondly, and more recently, 百合 has come to signify a genre in Japanese media, particularly manga and anime, that focuses on romantic relationships between female characters (lesbian or yuri relationships). In this context, it can be translated as "yuri" or "girls' love."

⚫︎ 庭にたくさんの百合が咲いています。 Translation: There are many lilies blooming in the garden. ⚫︎ そのアニメは百合がテーマです。 Translation: That anime is themed around yuri. ⚫︎ 百合の花の香りが好きです。 Translation: I like the scent of lily flowers.

⚫︎ When referring to the flower, 百合 can be used in various contexts, from describing gardens to discussing floral arrangements. ⚫︎ When referring to the genre, 百合 is used among fans, in discussions about media, and in the media itself (e.g., in titles or descriptions). It's important to be aware of the context to understand which meaning is intended. ⚫︎ If you are talking about the flower, you can say 百合の花.

⚫︎ 百合 is typically written in kanji as 百合. ⚫︎ The reading is ゆり in hiragana. ⚫︎ There are no other common ways to write this word. ⚫︎ The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is consistent, so no variations exist.

⚫︎ When referring to the flower, there are no direct synonyms in common usage. The specific varieties of lilies may have their own Japanese names (e.g., テッポウユリ for trumpet lily). ⚫︎ For the genre, some related terms might include ガールズラブ (girls' love) or GL, but 百合 is the most common term.

⚫︎ The antonyms for the flower 百合 would be other types of flowers. ⚫︎ For the genre, there are no direct antonyms, as the opposite would be male-centric genres, which aren't typically defined by one single word.

夏の庭に、白い[百合]が咲き誇っていました。 ・Translation: White lilies were in full bloom in the summer garden. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 百合 to describe the lily flower.

彼女は[百合]漫画が好きです。 ・Translation: She likes yuri manga. ・Explanation: This sentence uses 百合 to refer to the girls' love manga genre.

The etymology of 百合 for the flower is less clear. The characters 百 (hundred) and 合 (combine, fit) don't obviously relate to lilies, but some speculate the name may come from the shape of the flower. For the genre, it's just the direct use of the word.