87584
I've noticed that Delta variant and so forth is translated using 株.

I've always understood this kanji to primarily deal with things regarding
stocks, business, and so forth.

I also see from my dictionary the kanji can be used as a counter for small
plants, which is the closest thing in my head so far that I can connect to
then mean a variant for a virus; viruses aren't exactly plants but they are
small organisms in a sense.

I also searched the kanji on [this
website](https://kanji.jitenon.jp/kanjib/837.html?getdata=682a&search=contain&how=%E3%81%99%E3%81%B9%E3%81%A6)
and of its listed meanings none of them really clicked with me enough to
explain how this could mean a variant of a virus. The 地位 or 評価 in definition 1
in my head could maybe logically lead to meaning variant, the status or
evaluation of the virus?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-20T11:52:11.273
87576
2021-07-21T10:10:38.160
17915
question
meaning kanji word-usage
Why is 株 used as variant for viruses, e.g. デルタ株?
株 originally referred to tree stumps, from which new stems sprouted. It then
came to mean a unit of plants (consisting of several stems made up of one or
more individuals).

Such unit of plants can be multiplied by 株分け, where this unit is broken up and
divided into smaller 株s which grow individually, and can then be divided again
(see [here](https://www.shibagaki-
greentech.com/2019/10/25/%E6%A0%AA%E5%88%86%E3%81%91%E3%81%AE%E4%BB%95%E6%96%B9-%E5%A4%A7%E3%81%8D%E3%81%8F%E3%81%AA%E3%81%A3%E3%81%9F%E6%A4%8D%E7%89%A9%E3%81%AE%E6%A0%AA%E3%82%92%E5%88%86%E3%81%91%E3%81%A6%E5%A2%97%E3%82%84%E3%81%99%E6%96%B9%E6%B3%95-2019-10-25/)).
The procedure to maintain microorganisms like bacteria, virus, cells is
similar, and thus 株 is used to refer to these strains.

According to a dictionary, the etymology for stock is:

> Perhaps the notion is of the "trunk" from which gains are an outgrowth

([source](https://www.etymonline.com/word/stock))

And this is perhaps why 株 was used to translating stock.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-07-21T10:10:38.160
87584
2021-07-21T10:10:38.160
499
87576
answer