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道Nihongo Path
梅

梅·plum

On-yomi
バイ
Kun-yomi
うめ

By Nihongo PathUpdated

Stroke order

Write it in this order; the numbers mark where each stroke starts.

10 strokes, numbered in writing order. Data: KanjiVG (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Common words

WordReadingMeaning
梅うめplum, Japanese apricot
梅雨つゆthe rainy season
梅干しうめぼしpickled plum
梅酒うめしゅplum liqueur

Example sentences

  1. 庭の梅の花が咲いた。

    にわのうめのはながさいた。

    The plum blossoms in the garden have opened.

  2. 今年の梅雨は長かった。

    ことしのつゆはながかった。

    This year's rainy season was long.

  3. 祖母は毎年、梅干しを漬ける。

    そぼはまいとし、うめぼしをつける。

    My grandmother pickles plums every year.

Similar-looking kanji

Do not confuse these on the exam.

Common mistakes

  • Reading 梅雨 as ばいう in conversation — ばいう exists but つゆ is the everyday word
  • 梅 blooms in late winter, so it is not a cherry blossom substitute

Memory aid

Picture it

Tree 木 with 毎 'every' — the tree that blooms every year before any other, while it is still cold.

Vocabulary using this kanji

Quick check

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What does the kanji 梅 mean?