萌芽・萠芽|ほうがhouga[1]atamadaka (head-high)
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Which spelling to use
萌芽萌芽 is the common written form and the one beginners should use when writing this word.
萠芽萠芽 is a rarely used kanji variant of 萌芽; beginners should use 萌芽 instead when writing this word.
Definitions
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbgermination; germ; sprout
- noun, suru verb, intransitive verbearly sign; beginning; starting to appear
Conjugation
| Dictionary form | 萌芽する（ほうがする） |
|---|---|
| Polite (masu) | 萌芽します（ほうがします） |
| Negative (nai) | 萌芽しない（ほうがしない） |
| polite (masen) | 萌芽しません（ほうがしません） |
| classical zu / nu | 萌芽せず・萌芽せぬ（ほうがせず・ほうがせぬ） |
| Past (ta) | 萌芽した（ほうがした） |
| polite (mashita) | 萌芽しました（ほうがしました） |
| Past negative (nakatta) | 萌芽しなかった（ほうがしなかった） |
| polite (masen deshita) | 萌芽しませんでした（ほうがしませんでした） |
| Te form | 萌芽して（ほうがして） |
| Potential | 萌芽できる（ほうができる） |
| Passive | 萌芽される（ほうがされる） |
| Causative | 萌芽させる（ほうがさせる） |
| Causative passive | 萌芽させられる（ほうがさせられる） |
| Conditional (ba) | 萌芽すれば（ほうがすれば） |
| tara | 萌芽したら（ほうがしたら） |
| Volitional | 萌芽しよう（ほうがしよう） |
| polite (mashou) | 萌芽しましょう（ほうがしましょう） |
| Imperative | 萌芽しろ（ほうがしろ） |
Common forms generated by rule; see the senses for honorific or irregular usage.
Synonyms & antonyms
- Synonym芽生えるめばえるNeutralNative verb for a bud emerging or a feeling starting to grow, as in 「愛が芽生える」; more colloquial than 「萌芽」.
- Synonym芽吹くめぶくWrittenWritten word for plants putting out new buds; also used figuratively for new things starting to appear.
- Synonym萌えるもえるNeutralOriginally meant to sprout; in modern slang it mostly means being infatuated with a character.
- Synonym発芽はつがWrittenWritten term for seeds or spores sprouting; the standard botanical word for germination.
- Synonym萌え出すもえだすNeutralRare word emphasizing a young bud just starting to emerge.
- Synonym出芽しゅつがWrittenWritten term for buds emerging; also a technical term in biology.
- Synonym萌え出るもえでるWrittenWritten but rare; describes new buds emerging on plants.
- Related芽ぐむめぐむWrittenWritten and rare; emphasizes the very start of budding.
- Related兆すきざすWrittenWritten word stressing that something is starting to show signs of happening; it can also mean plants beginning to bud, but its focus is on early hints.
- Related萌え立つもえたつWrittenWritten and rare; emphasizes fresh new leaves bursting out.
- Antonym枯死こしWrittenAntonym: written word for a plant withering and dying completely, the opposite of 「萌芽」.
- Antonym終焉しゅうえんFormalAntonym: formal word for something reaching its end, the opposite of a beginning like 「萌芽」.
「萌芽」 is a written word for the first signs of something emerging, as in 「民主主義の萌芽」, and also covers plants sprouting. For a native, more everyday word use 「芽生え」; for botanical germination use 「発芽」.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese definitions
Kanji in this word
English equivalents
See also
