ソメイヨシノ

そ

め

い

よ

し

の

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

1

noun

Yoshino cherry; Somei-Yoshino cherry

usually written using kana alone

The most widely planted ornamental cherry tree in Japan, known for its pale pink blossoms that bloom before the leaves appear. Often simply called 桜 in everyday contexts.

公こう園えんのソメイヨシノが満まん開かいになった。

The Somei-Yoshino cherry trees in the park are in full bloom.

ソメイヨシノは江え戸ど時じ代だいに作つくられた品ひん種しゅだ。

The Somei-Yoshino is a cultivar developed in the Edo period.

Kanji

染dye, color, paint
井well, well crib, town
吉good luck, joy, congratulations
野plains, field, rustic

Don't confuse with

八や重え桜ざくら
ソメイヨシノ is the common single-flowered cherry that blooms earlier, whereas 八重桜 refers to the later-blooming, double-flowered varieties.

Written forms

ソメイヨシノUsage84%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is very common for this cherry tree cultivar name; usually written in kana.
染そめ井い吉よし野のUsage17%
Kanji spelling, less common than katakana but still seen in botanical or formal contexts.

Etymology

Named after the village of Somei (染井) in Edo (now part of Tokyo) and Mount Yoshino (吉野), a famous cherry blossom viewing spot. The exact origin is uncertain, but it is believed to be a hybrid developed in the mid-19th century.