春しゅん窮きゅう

noun

spring staple shortage

Refers to the seasonal food scarcity in spring before the harvest of rice, wheat, barley, etc. A somewhat literary or historical term; not an everyday word.

• 昔むかしの農のう村そんでは、春しゅん窮きゅうに備そなえて保ほ存ぞん食しょくを蓄たくわえた。

  In old farming villages, people stored preserved food in preparation for the spring staple shortage.

• この地ち方ほうでは、春しゅん窮きゅうの時じ期きに山さん菜さいが貴き重ちょうな食しょく料りょうとなった。

  In this region, wild vegetables became a valuable food source during the spring staple shortage.