芽
芽·bud, sprout
- On-yomi
- ガ
- Kun-yomi
- め
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Stroke order
Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.
Common words
| Word | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 芽 | め | bud, sprout |
| 発芽 | はつが | germination |
| 芽生える | めばえる | to sprout; to begin to grow (feelings) |
| 新芽 | しんめ | new shoot |
Example sentences
庭の木に芽が出てきた。
にわのきにめがでてきた。
Buds have appeared on the tree in the garden.
種が発芽するまで一週間かかる。
たねがはつがするまでいっしゅうかんかかる。
It takes a week for the seeds to germinate.
二人の間に友情が芽生えた。
ふたりのあいだにゆうじょうがめばえた。
A friendship began to grow between the two of them.
Similar-looking kanji
Do not confuse these on the exam.
- 芽牙芽 is 牙 (fang) with the grass radical 艹 on top.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up 芽 (め, sprout) and 目 (め, eye) — they sound identical
- Reading 発芽 as *はつめ
Memory aid
Picture it
Grass (艹) over a fang (牙) — a sharp little tooth pushing up out of the soil.
Vocabulary using this kanji
Quick check
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What does the kanji 芽 mean?