落(お)ち葉(ば)

おちば

noun

fallen leaves

1. fallen leaves, dead leaves

Leaves that have fallen from trees, especially in autumn. A word closely associated with the autumn season in Japanese culture and literature.

落(お)ち葉(ば)を掃(は)く。

Sweep up the fallen leaves.

公園(こうえん)の道(みち)が落(お)ち葉(ば)で埋(う)め尽(つ)くされている。

The park path is completely covered with fallen leaves.

子(こ)どもたちが色(いろ)とりどりの落(お)ち葉(ば)を拾(ひろ)い集(あつ)めて、押(お)し葉(ば)の工作(こうさく)を楽(たの)しんでいた。

The children were gathering colorful fallen leaves and enjoying making pressed-leaf crafts.

Usage

落(お)ち葉(ば) is a seasonal word (季語(きご)) associated with autumn. It evokes the beauty and melancholy of the autumn season and appears frequently in poetry and literature.

落(お)ち葉(ば)焚(た)き (burning fallen leaves) was once a common autumn activity in Japan, though it is now restricted in many areas due to environmental regulations.

Common collocations

落(お)ち葉(ば)を掃(は)く (sweep fallen leaves)
落(お)ち葉(ば)を拾(ひろ)う (pick up fallen leaves)
落(お)ち葉(ば)焚(た)き (burning fallen leaves)
落(お)ち葉(ば)が舞(ま)う (fallen leaves dance in the air)

Similar words

枯(か)れ葉(は): dried/withered leaf (emphasizes the dry, dead state)
紅葉(こうよう): autumn foliage (leaves still on the tree, or the act of changing color)
落葉樹(らくようじゅ): deciduous tree

Related Words

Related: 紅葉(こうよう) (autumn foliage)

Related: 枯(か)れ葉(は) (withered leaf)

Compare: 落葉樹(らくようじゅ) (deciduous tree)

Related: 葉(は)っぱ (leaf)

Compare: 落葉(らくよう) (fallen leaves)

Related: 堆肥(たいひ) (compost)

general

Added 2026.2.28 9:51 · Revised 2026.10.11 9:21

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