noun
Japanese apricot; ume; plum
Refers to the fruit, tree, or blossom of Prunus mume. Often translated as 'plum' but botanically closer to an apricot. Common in food names like 梅干し and 梅酒.
庭に梅の木が一本あります。
There is a Japanese apricot tree in the garden.
梅干しは酸っぱくておいしい。
Umeboshi are sour and delicious.
noun
Used in the traditional three-tier ranking system 松竹梅 (pine, bamboo, plum), where 梅 is the lowest grade. Often seen in restaurant menus, gift sets, or exam results.
おせち料理の松竹梅のうち、梅が一番安い。
Among the pine-bamboo-plum tiers of osechi dishes, the plum tier is the cheapest.
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the kanji is not needed.
Katakana spelling used in botanical contexts or for emphasis.
Variant kanji form; rarely used in modern Japanese.
Native Japanese word. The kanji 梅 is a Chinese character adopted for its meaning. The obsolete reading むめ reflects an older pronunciation.