カエデ
kaede
The Japanese word for maple is カエデ (kaede).
カエデ refers to trees of the genus Acer.
Meaning: tree of the genus Acer genus (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
kaede
When do people say it?
For example, you may encounter the term 紅葉色 (momiji-iro) to describe the color of maple leaves or 紅葉祭り (momiji matsuri) to refer to a maple leaf festival.
Did you know?
- During autumn, the phrase 紅葉狩り (momiji-gari), which literally means 'maple leaf hunting', is used to describe the tradition of going to see the changing leaves.
- In Japanese, the word 紅葉 (momiji) can be read as both 'maple' and 'autumn colors' depending on the context, effectively merging the tree and the seasonal phenomenon into one word.
- Unlike in English, where 'maple' is often associated with syrup, the Japanese word カエデ is almost exclusively associated with the aesthetic of autumn and landscaping.
Examples in context
- お花見で有名な公園での紅葉を楽しみました。We enjoyed the maple leaves at the famous park known for its cherry blossom viewing.
- 秋の紅葉はとても美しいですね。Autumn maple leaves are so beautiful, aren't they?
- 庭にカエデが植えてあります。niwa ni kaede ga uete arimasu.A maple tree is planted in the garden.
- このカエデの葉はとても綺麗です。kono kaede no ha wa totemo kirei desu.These maple leaves are very beautiful.
- 公園で大きなカエデを見つけました。kouen de ookina kaede o mitsukemashita.I found a large maple in the park.
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are walking in a park during autumn.
- 健太 Kentaあそこにあるのはカエデかな？Asoko ni aru no wa kaede kana?I wonder if that over there is a maple?
- 結衣 Yuiそうだと思います。とても綺麗ですね。Sō da to omoimasu. Totemo kirei desu ne.I think so. It's very beautiful, isn't it?
- 健太 Kentaカエデの葉っぱが散っています。Kaede no happa ga chitte imasu.The maple leaves are falling.
- 結衣 Yui秋らしくていいですね。Akirashikute ii desu ne.It feels like autumn, which is nice.
