How to say "stem" in Japanese

• 茎くきJLPT N1approx.Common
  nounThe botanical sense: the stalk of a plant that supports its leaves and flowers. This is the word for 'stem' when talking about plants, flowers, or vegetables.
  その茎くきは君きみの小指こゆびよりやや太ふとい。↗

  The stalk is a little bigger around than your little finger.
• 理系りけいCommon
  no-adjectiveThe acronym sense: STEM as in STEM fields or STEM education. It broadly denotes the science, technology, engineering and mathematics side of study and work, as opposed to the humanities (文系).
• 船首せんしゅCommon
  nounThe nautical sense: 'stem' as the technical term for the bow or prow of a ship. Unless you are writing about boats, this is not the 'stem' you want.
  ジブの裏うら帆ほとラダーを使つかって、バックしながら船首せんしゅを進すすみたい方向ほうこうに向むけました。↗

  Using the rudder and the jib with the wind behind it we backed up, turning the bow to the direction we wanted to go.
• 食い止めるくいとめるCommon
  ichidan verb, transitive verbThe verb sense: to stem something in the sense of checking or halting it — stopping its spread or advance before it grows worse. Think of 'stemming the tide' of something undesirable.
  被害ひがいは最小限さいしょうげんに食い止くいとめられた。↗

  The damage was held to a minimum.
• 支えるささえるJLPT N3approx.Common
  ichidan verb, transitive verbIts basic meaning is to support or hold up; the 'stem' sense is secondary — to hold something at bay, checking it under pressure. For halting a trend, 食い止める is the usual choice.
  なんとかそこで支ささえよ。入市にゅうしを許ゆるすな。↗

  Hold them there! Don't let them into the city!

Use 茎 for a plant's stem, 理系 for STEM fields of study, 船首 for a ship's bow, and for the verb 'to stem' choose 「食い止める」 to stop something spreading, while 「支える」 covers holding it at bay.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• 茎くきstalk
• 理系りけいthe sciences
• 船首せんしゅbow (of a boat)
• 食い止めるくいとめるto check
• 幹からtrunk
• ステムstem (of a plant)
• 語幹ごかんstem (non-inflecting part of a word)
• 形容詞幹けいようしかんstem (word)
• 果柄かへいstem (of a fruit)
• 符幹ふかんstem (of a note)
• 符尾ふびstem (of a note)
• 竜頭りゅうずcrown (of a watch)
• 理科系りかけいthe sciences
• ＳＴＥＭステムscience, technology, engineering and mathematics
• 軸じくstalk
• 支えるささえるto hold at bay
• せき止めるせきとめるto stem (an activity)
• ケーンstalk (of bamboo, sugar, etc.)