The Japanese apricot (Prunus mume), its fruit and tree; commonly used to make umeboshi (pickled plums) or umeshu (plum wine).
母は毎年梅で梅干しを漬ける。
My mother pickles ume (makes umeboshi) every year.
公園の梅の花が春にきれいに咲いた。
The plum blossoms in the park bloomed beautifully in spring.
居酒屋で冷やした梅酒を頼んだ。
I ordered chilled umeshu at the izakaya.
庭に梅の木を一本植えた。
I planted a plum (ume) tree in the garden.
The lowest rank in a three-tier grading (as in the trio bamboo–pine–plum), used to indicate the cheapest or lowest of three levels.
店のコースは松・竹・梅に分かれていて、梅が一番安い。
The restaurant's courses are divided into Matsu, Take, Ume, and Ume is the cheapest.
演奏の評価は竹・松・梅で示され、今回は梅だった。
The performance was rated on a Take–Matsu–Ume scale, and this time it was Ume.
三段階評価で『梅』という言い方が使われることがある。
The term 'Ume' is sometimes used in a three-level rating system.