1.
rapeseed flower, canola flower, field mustard flower
The bright yellow flowers of the rapeseed plant, strongly associated with spring in Japan. Also refers to the young shoots and buds of the plant eaten as a vegetable.
春になると菜の花が咲く。
Rapeseed flowers bloom when spring comes.
菜の花のおひたしは春の味がする。
Boiled rapeseed greens taste like spring.
一面に広がる菜の花畑は、この地域の春の風物詩として親しまれている。
The rapeseed flower fields stretching as far as the eye can see are beloved as a spring tradition in this region.
USAGE:
One of the iconic images of spring in Japan. Fields of bright yellow 菜の花 are a popular sight for seasonal outings. The plant is also eaten as a spring vegetable, typically prepared as おひたし (boiled greens in dashi).
CULTURAL NOTE:
菜の花 appears in classical poetry and is a seasonal word (季語) for spring in haiku.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 菜の花畑: rapeseed flower field
- 菜の花のおひたし: boiled rapeseed greens