also: きのめどき
early spring; time when trees bud
A poetic or literary expression for the season when tree buds appear, typically around March to April. Often used in haiku and traditional writing.
木の芽時になると、山々が淡い緑に包まれる。
When the time of budding trees comes, the mountains are wrapped in pale green.
俳句では「木の芽時」は春の季語として使われる。
In haiku, 'konome-doki' is used as a spring seasonal word.
芽吹き means 'budding' or 'sprouting' and can be used more broadly for plants, while 木の芽時 is a set phrase for the season of tree budding.
Standard kanji spelling for this seasonal expression.
Alternate reading; このめどき is the more common pronunciation.
Compound of 木の芽 (tree buds) and 時 (time/season). The reading このめ is a rendaku form of きのめ.