non-fruit-bearing flower; blossom that doesn't bear fruit
Refers to a flower that blooms but does not develop into fruit. Often used metaphorically for something that looks promising but yields no result. Compare with あだばな (徒花), which can also mean 'fruitless effort'.
See also: 徒花 (あだばな)
This cherry tree produces non-fruit-bearing flowers and doesn't bear fruit.
His efforts ended up being fruitless, like a blossom that never becomes fruit.
Also written 徒花, but read あだばな. It shares the literal meaning of a non-fruiting flower, but more commonly carries the metaphorical sense of 'fruitless effort' or 'transient beauty'. むだばな is less common and more directly tied to the literal botanical sense.
Standard kanji spelling for this term.
Alternate spelling using 無駄 (wasteful), emphasizing the futility aspect.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling; rarely used.
Compound of 無駄 (muda, 'wasteful') + 花 (hana, 'flower'), with rendaku voicing of はな to ばな. The kanji 徒 can also represent 'futility' or 'vainness', reinforcing the sense of a flower that blooms in vain.