1.
tree leaves, foliage
Leaves growing on or fallen from a tree. Often evokes a literary or seasonal image.
木の葉が散った。
The leaves fell.
秋になると木の葉が赤く色づく。
When autumn comes, the leaves turn red.
風に吹かれて木の葉がくるくると舞い落ちた。
Blown by the wind, the leaves spiraled down.
木の葉 specifically refers to leaves of a tree, often with a literary or poetic nuance. Commonly evokes autumn imagery.
READING:
The standard reading is このは. The kanji 木の葉 uses the kun'yomi of both characters. An alternative reading きのは also exists but is less common.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 葉: leaf (general, neutral)
- 葉っぱ: leaf (casual, slightly childlike)
- 木の葉: tree leaves (literary, evocative)
木の葉 tends to appear in descriptions of nature, poetry, and seasonal imagery, while 葉っぱ is the everyday word.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 木の葉が散る: leaves fall/scatter
- 木の葉が揺れる: leaves sway
- 木の葉が舞う: leaves dance (in the wind)
- 枯れ葉: dead/withered leaves