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Glite Dictionary
Japanese lime

Japanese lime

6.5
A medium-sized tree from Japan grown in gardens for its pretty leaves and flowers
  • noun
translation icon : tilo japonés
  • The Japanese lime is prized for its attractive foliage and decorative appearance in gardens.

Examples

  • We planted a Japanese lime in the front yard to add shade and beauty to the landscape.

  • The Japanese lime tree blooms beautifully in spring.

  • Botanists studied the growth patterns of the Japanese lime under various climate conditions.

  • I love the fragrance of the Japanese lime flowers.

  • The Japanese lime is prized for its attractive foliage and decorative appearance in gardens.

  • We planted a Japanese lime in the front yard to add shade and beauty to the landscape.

  • The Japanese lime tree blooms beautifully in spring.

Synonyms

lime
vsJapanese lime
  • UK
4 6.2

A large tree with heart-shaped leaves and small fragrant yellow flowers

is a particular Japanese ornamental species not the broad timber genus
lime tree
vsJapanese lime
  • UK
1 3.0

A large tree with heart-shaped leaves and sweet-smelling flowers used for timber

is a specific Japanese ornamental species rather than the whole genus
Tilia japonica
vsJapanese lime
  • Specialized
8.9

A medium-sized tree from Japan that people grow for its pretty leaves and flowers

is the common everyday name for that same ornamental tree
Japanese linden
vsJapanese lime
6.7

A medium-sized tree from Japan with broad leaves and fragrant pale flowers often planted in gardens

is the other common name focusing on origin and size rather than decoration

Surface Forms

Japanese lime singular
Japanese limes plural

Morphology

Japanese + lime

The meaning 'a medium-sized tree native to Japan' is directly built from 'Japanese' (of or from Japan) + 'lime' (a linden tree); the adjective+noun pattern denotes origin/type in a straightforward way. This compositional, cross-linguistically common pattern makes the MWE immediately understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituents.

Etymology

The name Japanese lime comes from gardeners who saw a tree from Japan that looked like the familiar lime tree. They used Japanese to show where it came from and lime to show the kind of tree, so today Japanese lime means 'a medium-sized decorative tree from Japan'.