葉
leaf · plane · lobe · needle · blade · spear · counter for flat things · fragment · piece
Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Combines 'grass' (艹) with 'flat/thin' (枼), depicting the thin, flat parts of plants—leaves. Also carries meanings of generation and era.
Symbolism
Symbolizes growth, seasonal change, and life's cycle. Fallen leaves represent endings, new buds represent beginnings in nature's rhythm.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Leaves falling
Seasonal
Symbolizes both fresh green leaves April-May and autumn colors October-November. Represents seasonal change.
Component Breakdown
grass + 枼
Words & Expressions
Words written with 葉
Four-Character Compounds
枝葉末節
しようまっせつ
unimportant details; inessentials
飛花落葉
ひからくよう
scattering of the blossoms and falling of the leaves; the impermanence of worldly things
金枝玉葉
きんしぎょくよう
member of the Imperial family; royalty; beautiful clouds
言葉の綾
ことばのあや
The weave of words; A figure of speech
Poetry
このたびは ぬさもとりあへず 手向山 紅葉のにしき 神のまにまに
This journey left no time to prepare offerings. Take instead, O gods, the brocade of maple leaves on Mount Tamuke.
小倉山 峰のもみぢ葉 心あらば 今ひとたびの みゆき待たなむ
Maple leaves on the peak of Ogura, if you have any heart, wait for one more imperial visit before you fall.
山川に 風のかけたる しがらみは 流れもあへぬ 紅葉なりけり
The weir the wind has thrown across the mountain stream turns out to be maple leaves, unable to flow on.
あらし吹く み室の山の もみぢ葉は 竜田の川の 錦なりけり
The maple leaves blown from Mount Mimuro by the storm have become the brocade of the Tatsuta River.
夕されば 門田の稲葉 おとづれて 葦のまろやに 秋風ぞ吹く
As evening comes it rustles the rice leaves by the gate — the autumn wind, blowing on my reed-thatched hut.
村雨の 露もまだひぬ まきの葉に 霧立ちのぼる 秋の夕暮れ
The dew of the passing shower has not yet dried on the cedar leaves, and already mist is rising. An autumn evening.
Anime & Manga
言の葉の庭
The Garden of Words
A well-known work with 葉 in its Japanese title.
サイダーのように言葉が湧き上がる
Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop
A well-known work with 葉 in its Japanese title.
きみは四葉のクローバー
You are a Four Leaf Clover
A well-known work with 葉 in its Japanese title.
魔王様に召喚されたけど言葉が通じない。
Maou-sama ni Shoukan Sareta kedo Kotoba ga Tsuujinai.
A well-known work with 葉 in its Japanese title.
朝比奈若葉と〇〇な彼氏
Asahina Wakaba & Her Chubby-Chubby Boyfriend
A well-known work with 葉 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
樋口一葉
Name contains 葉
Natsuko Higuchi , known by her pen name Higuchi Ichiyō , was a Japanese writer during the Meiji era.
Wikipedia橋口五葉
Name contains 葉
Goyō Hashiguchi was a Japanese artist. At the forefront of the shin-hanga movement, a revival of ukiyo-e, he designed fourteen woodblock prints which…
WikipediaOther kanji with the same meaning
“plane”
“needle”
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 葉 mean in Japanese?
葉 means leaf, plane, lobe, needle, blade, spear, counter for flat things, fragment, piece.
How do you read 葉?
On'yomi: ヨウ (YOU). Kun'yomi: は (ha).
How many strokes does 葉 have?
葉 has 12 strokes. Its radical is 艸 (grass).
Is 葉 a good kanji for a tattoo?
葉 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means leaf, plane, lobe, needle, blade, spear, counter for flat things, fragment, piece. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.
Explore by meaning:leaf · plane · needle · blade · spear · piece