The kanji 桂 primarily represents the laurel tree, particularly the Japanese cinnamon tree. It often symbolizes beauty, elegance, and in some contexts, excellence or achievement. It can also refer to the laurel itself and by extension, the concept of winning or being honored.

・On-yomi (音読み): kei (ケイ) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): katsura (かつら)

⚫︎ 桂川 (Katsura-gawa) Translation: Katsura River (a river in Kyoto). ⚫︎ 桂冠 (keikan) Translation: Laurel wreath (symbol of victory and achievement). ⚫︎ 桂皮 (keipi) Translation: Cinnamon bark.

The kanji 桂 is a phono-semantic compound. ⚫︎ The left side is 木 (ki), which means "tree" or "wood," indicating the category of the kanji. ⚫︎ The right side is 圭 (kei), which is used phonetically to indicate the sound of the kanji. ⚫︎ 圭, in its original form, depicted a jade scepter that was used to represent rank and prestige in ancient China. The combination suggests a tree that has prestige. Therefore, the meaning has evolved to be closely related to the laurel tree and its associations.