葉は

は

Common wordJLPTN4Freq.FrequencyTop 2,000

Meanings

noun

leaf; blade; needle; frond; foliage

General term for the leaf of a plant, including grass blades, pine needles, and fern fronds.

秋あきになると、木きの葉はが赤あかや黄き色いろに変かわる。
In autumn, the leaves of the trees turn red and yellow.
この植しょく物ぶつの葉ははとても大おおきい。
The leaves of this plant are very large.

See all 593 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

葉はが落おちるfor leaves to fall
秋あきになると葉はが落おちる。
When autumn comes, the leaves fall.
葉はが茂しげるfor leaves to grow thick and lush
夏なつには木きの葉はが茂しげる。
In summer, the tree's leaves grow thick and lush.
葉はを摘つむto pick leaves
お茶ちゃの葉はを摘つむ。
They pick tea leaves.
葉はが黄き色いろくなるfor leaves to turn yellow
秋あきには葉はが黄き色いろくなる。
In autumn, the leaves turn yellow.

Expressions· 19

木この葉はtree leaf; foliage
根ねも葉はもないgroundless; unfounded; without a shred of truth
根ね掘ほり葉は掘ほりinquisitively; pryingly; thoroughly
松まつの葉はpine needle · small gift; souvenir
麻あさの葉はhemp-leaf family crest · hexagon-based geometric pattern

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木この葉は天てん狗ぐweak tengu; lesser tengu
木この葉は返がえしrapid slicing stroke; leaf-return cut
言こと葉ばにするput into words; express; state
言こと葉ばの綾あやfigure of speech; rhetorical flourish

See all 19 in Explore →

Kanji

葉leaf, plane, lobe

Related words

葉はっぱN1
葉 is the neutral, written term for a leaf, while 葉っぱ is the colloquial, slightly childish word used in everyday speech.
リーフ
葉 is the native Japanese word for a plant leaf, while リーフ is a loanword often used in modern or stylish compound terms like リーフレタス.

Opposites

根ねN2
葉 refers to the leaf, the part of a plant above ground that gathers light, while 根 is the root, the part below ground that anchors and feeds it.

Don't confuse with

歯はN5
葉 (leaf) and 歯 (tooth) are pronounced identically as は but refer to completely different things, so context or kanji is needed to tell them apart.
刃はN1
葉 (leaf) shares the same reading は as 刃 (blade) but means a leaf of a plant, so context is essential to tell them apart.

Counted with

枚まいN3
For thin, flat things — sheets, plates, boards, and unstructured garments like shirts.
枚ひら
Poetic counter for light, fluttering things — petals, leaves, snowflakes (ひとひら).

Word family· 156

言こと葉ばN5
language; dialect · word; term; expression · speech; manner of speaking; use of language · words; remark; statement; comment · learning to speak; language acquisition
青あお葉ば
fresh leaves; young green leaves
葉はっぱN1
leaf; blade (of grass); needle · marijuana; weed; cannabis
はがきN5
postcard · memo; note; card
双ふた葉ば
seed leaves; cotyledons; bud; sprout · early stages; very beginning

Show 25 more

若わか葉ば
new leaves; young leaves; fresh verdure
合あい言こと葉ば
password; watchword · motto; slogan
葉は巻まき
cigar
松まつ葉ば
pine needle
大おお葉ば
beefsteak plant; perilla · large leaf; megaphyll
落おち葉ばN1
fallen leaves; leaf litter · leaf fall; defoliation · deciduous
枯かれ葉はN1
dead leaf; dry leaves
三みつ葉ば
mitsuba; Japanese honewort; Japanese parsley · three-leaved; trefoil
枝えだ葉は
branches and leaves; foliage · unimportant details; nonessentials; side issue
ヒバ
hiba false arborvitae; Thujopsis dolabrata · small ornamental false cypress; dwarf hiba · hinoki leaf
湯ゆ葉ば
yuba; tofu skin; dried beancurd
葉は桜ざくら
cherry tree in leaf; cherry tree after blossoms have fallen
言こと葉ば遣づかいN3
wording; choice of words; speech; expression
柳やない葉ば
willow-leaf arrowhead · part of a Japanese stirrup · willow leaf
ハラン
cast iron plant; Aspidistra elatior · baran; green plastic garnish
ユズリハ
false daphne; yuzuriha
末うら葉ば
end leaves; top leaves; last leaves
飼かい葉ば
fodder; feed
ハダニ
spider mite
葉は隠がくれ
hiding in the leaves
葉は月づき
eighth month of the lunar calendar
言ことの葉は
word; language; poetic expression · waka; classic Japanese poem (esp. tanka)
末すえ葉ば
end leaves; top leaves; last leaves · descendant
上うわ葉ば
upper leaves
下した葉ば
lower leaves

See all 156 in Explore →

Written forms

葉はUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling.
ハUsage<1%

Etymology

Native Japanese word. The kanji 葉 is a phono-semantic compound with 艹 (plant) and 枼 (phonetic, also suggesting flatness), conventionally used for 'leaf'.