efflorescence
気象庁は、福岡市と名古屋市で今シーズン最も早い桜の開花を確認したと発表しました。
‘Cherry blossom front’ begins its migration north through the Japanese archipelago
The annual cherry blossom front began its northward journey Saturday as this spring’s first blooms of the Somei-Yoshino variety were reported in various areas of the country, the Meteorological Agency said.
Saturday’s bloom in Fukuoka came four days earlier than usual and in Nagoya it was seven days, the agency said, attributing the early efflorescence to the warm weather. In both places, full bloom is expected between March 26 and 29.
“I feel that the spring has arrived,” said Yasutaka Nanri from Fukuoka, who was passing by a blossoming tree. “I’m looking forward to blossom viewing several times this year,” he said.
今回取り上げるのは、“efflorescence”という表現です。まず、この単語を『ジーニアス英和辞典G4』（大修館書店）で調べてみたところ、「｟化｠風化、白華」「｟医｠発疹」という記載が見つかりましたが、この記事には当てはまりません。そこで、LDOCEで調べてみると、“the action of flowers, art etc forming and developing, or the period of time when this happens”と定義されており、「開花時期、花盛り」を表していると分かります。また、今回は花など植物の「開花」として用いられていますが、文化や能力などの「開花」でもこの単語が使われることもあります。(ninetails)
