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Glite Dictionary
mei

mei

11 9.9
A small Japanese tree with white or pink flowers and small yellow fruit often grown in gardens
  • noun
translation icon : ciruelo japonés
  • In spring, the mei tree adorns the garden with its beautiful pink blossoms.

Examples

  • The sweet fragrance of the mei fills the air during the festival in the park.

  • Artists often depict the mei in traditional paintings, showcasing its elegant flowers.

  • Sometimes Anna asks Mei to do the voices of the figures.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Anna, of course, regards Mei as a wonderful friend whose visits she can scarcely stand to wait for.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • As you may know, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian are beginning their first spring season here at the National Zoo.

    Academic text (2001)

  • What treasures did the warlord Mei Gan plunder from your tomb?

    Shanghai Surprise (1986)

  • It would appear that Mei Gan added grave robbing to his repertoire of activities.

    Shanghai Surprise (1986)

Synonyms

Prunus mume
vsmei
  • Specialized
9.9

A tree from East Asia with fragrant pink or white blossoms and small yellow fruits like plums

is the cultural garden name used in traditional art and everyday language
Japanese apricot
vsmei
6.6

A tree with fragrant white or pink blossoms and small yellow fruit

is seen mainly for beauty and cultural use in gardens and art

Surface Forms

mei singular
meis plural

Etymology

Mei comes from the East Asian character 梅, which means 'plum' and names the fragrant plum blossom seen in Chinese and Japanese art. So mei refers to that small ornamental plum tree with white or pink flowers and little yellow fruit, and that is why it stands for beauty and renewal in gardens.