noun
48 years of age
Rare literary term for the age of 48, using the kanji 桑 (mulberry) as a traditional numeric substitute. Not used in everyday conversation; modern Japanese would simply say 四十八歳.
桑年を迎えたことを記念して、句会が開かれた。
A haiku gathering was held to commemorate reaching the age of 48.
Standard modern expression for 48 years old; 桑年 is a rare literary alternative.
The kanji 桑 (mulberry) is used as a traditional numeric substitute for 48, likely from a wordplay or counting system. The exact origin is uncertain.