荊: thorn

thorn; bramble

9 strokesNames & literary · More literary kanji (準1級 range)in 2 words here

Readings

ケイ

Kun

いばら

Everyday spelling of いばら is 茨; 荊 is more literary. 荊棘 (けいきょく) means thorns and brambles.

荊いばらthorny shrub; bramble

荊棘けいきょくthorns; brambles; hardship

荊冠けいかんcrown of thorns

荊妻けいさいmy wife (humble)

絵えの中なかの男おとこは、頭あたまに荊冠けいかんをかぶせられていた。

In the painting, the man had a crown of thorns placed on his head.

荊棘けいきょくをかき分かきわけて進すすむと、古ふるい井戸いどが見みつかった。

Pushing through the thorny thicket, we found an old well.

彼女かのじょは荊いばらの道みちだと知しりながら、夢を追ゆめをおい続つづけた。

Knowing it was a thorny path, she kept chasing her dream.