young greens; tender leaves
Refers to young, tender leaves of vegetables like mizuna, Japanese mustard spinach, or rape, often used in salads or lightly cooked dishes.
I quickly boiled the young greens and made ohitashi.
When spring comes, young greens start appearing in stores.
Standard kanji-kana mixed spelling.
Full kanji spelling; less common in modern usage.
Katakana spelling, often used in culinary contexts or for emphasis.
The name うぐいす菜 (uguisu-na) likely comes from the association of the fresh green color with the Japanese bush warbler (uguisu), a bird that heralds spring. The exact origin is uncertain.