春先

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The written form is 春先, read はるさき. Elements for spring and its beginning combine to denote early spring, shortly after winter.
• Basic usage: 春先の空気 concerns cold morning and evening air in early spring, while 春先に芽を出す marks that season as when a flower sprouts.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Cold remaining in mornings and evenings
  • Morning and evening air remains cold in early spring. Example: 春先は朝晩の空気がまだ冷たいです。 — The air is still cold in the mornings and evenings of early spring.
• Small shoots appearing in early spring
  • The flower sends out small shoots at the beginning of spring. Example: この花は春先に小さな芽を出します。 — This flower sends out small shoots in early spring.