梅

Denotes both the tree and its blossoms, especially the early-blooming 매화, symbol of purity, endurance, and noble character.

Phono-semantic compound consisting of:

木 (나무 목) — semantic component, indicating tree or plant.

每 (매양 매) — phonetic component, giving the sound méi / mae.

In Shuowen Jiezi (說文解字), Xu Shen defines:

「梅，果也。从木每聲。」

“梅 is a fruit-bearing tree; composed of 木 and the sound 每.”

Originally referring to the plum tree, whose blossoms open in the late winter or early spring, 梅 became one of the most beloved symbols in East Asian art and literature.

梅 (매) — plum; plum blossom

梅花 (매화) — plum blossom

梅樹 (매수) — plum tree

紅梅 (홍매) — red plum blossom

白梅 (백매) — white plum blossom

梅實 (매실) — plum fruit

梅香 (매향) — fragrance of plum blossoms

梅酒 (매주) — plum wine (made from green plums)

梅雨 (장마) — “plum rains,” the early summer monsoon season coinciding with ripening plums

Cultural and poetic terms:

매화(梅花) — one of the “Four Gentlemen” (四君子: 매화·난초·국화·대나무), representing purity and endurance.

매실(梅實) — fruit used in traditional medicine and beverage making.

매향(梅香) — often used in poetry to evoke refined solitude.

In Chinese and Korean aesthetics, 梅 symbolizes resilience and purity — the blossom that opens amidst winter snow, heralding spring.

It is praised in countless classical poems and paintings as the emblem of a noble spirit unbowed by adversity.

The Kangxi Dictionary (康熙字典) notes:

「梅，早春之花，凌寒獨開。」

“梅, the flower of early spring, blooms alone against the cold.”

In Korean Confucian and literary tradition, the 매화 is revered as the flower of scholars — embodying both 절개 (integrity) and 청결 (purity).

Famous Joseon poets such as 정철(鄭澈) (Chŏng Ch'ŏl) and 윤선도(尹善道) (Yun Sŏndo) wrote extensively of the plum blossom’s noble solitude.

In Japan, the word 梅 (うめ / ume) was borrowed from Chinese; its pronunciation evolved from 'mume' to 'ume' during the Nara to Heian periods. The plum blossom remains a beloved motif in Japanese poetry and heralds the start of the haru (spring) season.

In seasonal and symbolic pairings:

梅 (plum) represents winter’s end, while 桃 (peach) signifies spring’s arrival.

Together, they embody the cyclical renewal of nature.

Thus, 梅 is not merely a botanical name but a moral emblem and cultural ideal — the flower of endurance, grace, and quiet strength, whose fragrance deepens in the frost.

𠻽, 𡠫, 䔦, 𫂚