花

• Reading: はな
• Romaji: hana
• Kanji breakdown: 花 (ka/hana) — flower, blossom
• Pronunciation: /ha.na/

Meaning

Flower; blossom; bloom. One of the most culturally significant words in Japanese.

Used for flowers in general as well as specifically for cherry blossoms in traditional contexts. Hanami (花見, flower viewing) is a major spring tradition. At N5 level this is a foundational nature vocabulary word that appears in many common expressions and compound words.

Examples

1. 庭に花がたくさん咲いています。 There are lots of flowers blooming in the garden.
2. 母の日に花をあげました。 I gave flowers for Mother's Day.
3. あの花の名前を知っていますか。 Do you know the name of that flower?

Usage Guide

Context: nature, gifts, seasons, home decor

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 花 is derived from a pictograph of a plant with blossoms. The character combines the radical 艹 (grass/plant) with 化 (change), suggesting the transformation of a plant into bloom.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal