bloom

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 咲 is used in Japanese for flowers blooming; the verb 咲く is read さく.
• Basic usage: 花が咲く means that flowers bloom; its past form 花が咲いた means that they bloomed.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Late flowers and late recognition
  • 遅咲き, read おそざき, describes late blooming. Its 咲き part is read ざき.
  • 遅咲きの画家 figuratively describes a painter whose talent was recognized late.