1.
flurry of falling petals, shower of blossoms
A poetic term for cherry blossom petals scattering in the wind like a snowstorm. One of the most evocative images of spring in Japanese culture, symbolizing both the peak beauty and the transience of the cherry blossom season.
花吹雪が舞っていた。
Cherry blossom petals were swirling like a blizzard.
風が吹くと花吹雪が公園を包んだ。
When the wind blew, a shower of petals enveloped the park.
川面に花吹雪が降り注ぎ、水面がピンクに染まった。
A blizzard of petals rained down on the river surface, dyeing the water pink.
USAGE:
A compound of 花 (flower, especially cherry blossom) and 吹雪 (blizzard/snowstorm). The metaphor compares the dense scattering of cherry petals to a snowstorm. This is specifically a spring image — it refers to the moment when cherry trees shed their petals en masse.
花吹雪 is a seasonal word (季語) for late spring in haiku. It evokes both beauty and the Japanese aesthetic of 儚さ (transience).
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 花吹雪が舞う: petals dance like a blizzard
- 花吹雪が降る: petals fall like snow
- 桜の花吹雪: cherry blossom blizzard