also: はつなつ
noun
early summer
Refers to the beginning of summer, roughly June in the modern calendar. Used in weather forecasts, seasonal greetings, and literary descriptions.
初夏の陽気に誘われて、公園を散歩した。
Lured by the early summer weather, I took a walk in the park.
初夏に咲く花といえば、あじさいが有名
When it comes to flowers that bloom in early summer, hydrangeas are famous.
noun
fourth month of the lunar calendar
Only with reading しょか
Obsolete term; in the old lunar calendar, this corresponded to early summer. Not used in modern Japanese except in historical contexts.
旧暦では、初夏は四月を指した。
In the old lunar calendar, 初夏 referred to the fourth month.
Compound of 初 (しょ, 'first, beginning') and 夏 (か, 'summer'). The reading はつなつ uses the native Japanese reading of the same characters.