Refers to a newly emerged sprout, bud, or shoot on a plant. Often used in botanical, agricultural, and figurative contexts (e.g., new growth, new beginnings).
New buds have appeared on the cherry tree's branches.
In spring, new buds begin to appear on the trees in the garden.
この植物の新芽は食用になる。
The young shoots of this plant are edible.
茶畑で新芽を摘む作業が始まった。
The work of picking new shoots began in the tea field.
In spring, the new shoots grow rapidly.
The trees have started to put out new buds.
若芽 also means a young sprout and is often used for edible young greens, while 新芽 emphasizes the very start of new growth, as at the beginning of a season.
新芽 is a general word for any new sprout or bud on a plant, while 木の芽 specifically refers to the young buds appearing on trees.
新芽 refers to the buds or sprouts before they open, whereas 若葉 refers to the young leaves after they have already unfurled.
発芽 refers to the act or process of germination, while 新芽 refers to the actual new bud or shoot that results from it.
新芽 can also be counted with 本 when referring to shoots as long, growing stems, but 元 is the more natural counter for a sprout/bud.
Compound of 新 (しん, 'new') and 芽 (め, 'bud, sprout'). The reading しんめ is a straightforward combination of the on'yomi of 新 and the kun'yomi of 芽.