新緑

• Reading: しんりょく
• Romaji: shinryoku
• Kanji breakdown: 新 (shin/atara-) — new, fresh; 緑 (ryoku/midori) — green
• Pronunciation: /ɕiɴ.ɾjo.kɯ/

Meaning

Fresh green; new foliage; the vivid green colour of newly sprouted leaves in spring. A quintessential symbol of early summer in Japan.

A seasonal noun (kigo) most associated with May in Japan, when trees burst forth with bright, luminous green leaves. 新緑の季節 (the season of fresh green) is a beloved phrase evoking vitality and renewal. The word appears frequently in tourism, poetry, and everyday descriptions of spring scenery, distinguishing the vivid new growth from the darker green of summer.

Examples

1. 五月になると山全体が新緑に覆われ、眩しいほど緑が輝く。 When May arrives, the whole mountain is covered in fresh green, and the verdure shines almost blindingly.
2. 新緑の中を散歩すると、清々しい空気とともに気持ちが晴れやかになる。 Walking among the fresh green leaves, one feels the clean air and a sense of pleasant, lifted spirits.
3. この時期の奥多摩は新緑が美しく、多くのハイカーが訪れる。 The fresh green foliage of Okutama is particularly beautiful at this time of year, and many hikers come to visit.

Usage Guide

Context: seasons, nature, tourism, poetry

Tone: literary

Origin & History

Compound of 新 (new, fresh) and 緑 (green). Together they evoke the vivid, luminous quality of freshly sprouted spring leaves, distinct from the darker, more muted green of midsummer.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal