noun
General word for a tree or woody plant. Covers both large trees and smaller shrubs.
庭に大きな木があります。
There is a big tree in the garden.
この木は春にきれいな花を咲かせます。
This tree blooms with beautiful flowers in spring.
noun
Only when written 木
Refers to wood as a material, including lumber and timber. Restricted to the kanji 木.
この机は木でできています。
This desk is made of wood.
木を切って家を建てる。
Cut wood and build a house.
noun
Only when written 木
Used in traditional theater to signal the start or end of a performance. Usually written as 柝, but 木 is also used.
歌舞伎では、木を打って幕開けを知らせる。
In kabuki, wooden clappers are struck to signal the opening of the curtain.
Native Japanese word. The kanji 木 is a pictograph of a tree with branches and roots. 樹 is a more complex character used in formal or literary contexts.