Word
sakura
Phoneticssaku·ra
/sæˈkʊɹə/
Definition
n. the pink or white flowers that grow on Japanese cherry trees. People often travel to see them when they bloom in the spring.
n. the flower of the Japanese cherry tree, particularly Prunus serrulata. Often used to refer to the period of blossoming and the cultural practice of flower viewing.
Examples
“The park is full of pink sakura in April.”
“Thousands of tourists visit Japan every spring to witness the brief but beautiful blooming of the sakura.”
“In Japanese culture, the sakura serves as a powerful metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, celebrated for its sudden, brilliant bloom and its equally rapid decline.”
Examples
simple
“The park is full of pink sakura in April.”
contextual
“Thousands of tourists visit Japan every spring to witness the brief but beautiful blooming of the sakura.”
complex
“In Japanese culture, the sakura serves as a powerful metaphor for the ephemeral nature of life, celebrated for its sudden, brilliant bloom and its equally rapid decline.”
Real-World Examples
“It feels as if the whole country is covered in cherry blossom – known in Japan as *sakura* - and thousands of tourists flock to cities, towns and villages in the country to enjoy the annual blooming.” “The fleeting *sakura* (cherry blossom) season is one of the most important times of the year in Japan.” “Kyoto’s blooming cherry blossoms—or *sakura*—draw crowds from across the world.” “Some of Japan's famed cherry blossoms, also known as sakura, have bloomed unexpectedly this autumn.” Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 桜(さくら) (sakura, “cherry tree”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.