95536
I encountered the following multiple-choice question in an unofficial JLPT N3
vocabulary practice test:

> 先週、スイカの種を植えたばかりなのに、今朝見たら、もう芽が（ ）いた。
>
> １ なって ２ 出て ３ 散って ４ 生えて

I chose 「４ 生えて」, but the answer given is 「２ 出て」.

I looked up example sentences on the weblio 英和辞典.
「[芽{め}が出る{でる}](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E8%8A%BD%E3%81%8C%E5%87%BA%E3%82%8B)」
and
「[芽{め}を出す{だす}](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E8%8A%BD%E3%82%92%E5%87%BA%E3%81%99)」
both return many results, whereas 「×
[芽{め}が生える{はえる}](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E8%8A%BD%E3%81%8C%E7%94%9F%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B)」
did not appear at all. However, there is a word
「[芽生える{めばえる}](https://ejje.weblio.jp/sentence/content/%E8%8A%BD%E7%94%9F%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B)」.

  * What are the differences and nuances between 芽{め}が出る{でる}, 芽{め}を出す{だす}, and 芽生える{めばえる}? Do they all mean "to germinate, to bud"? (I cannot sense much of a transitive/intransitive distinction here.)

  * It appears that × 芽{め}が生える{はえる} is not valid. Is there a reason why 芽生える{めばえる} is a valid word, whereas × 芽{め}が生える{はえる} is not used?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-23T06:32:02.677
95505
2022-07-24T11:23:21.860
34223
question
meaning word-choice words usage nuances
Difference between 芽生える{めばえる}・芽{め}が出る{でる}／芽{め}を出す{だす}
芽が生える is acceptable, but just much less common than 芽が出る.
[Shonagon](https://clrd.ninjal.ac.jp/bccwj/) returns 6 results for the former,
186 for the latter. So, 2 is the best choice, but 4 is not wrong.

For the differences:

  * When speaking of plants or trees, all three mean mostly the same. 芽生える sounds somewhat literary.
  * In terms of syntax, 芽を出す or 芽生える works like an intransitive verb (as a whole) while 芽が出る by itself is a sentence. Roughly 植物 **が** 芽を出す/芽生える = 植物 **の** 芽が出る.

The biggest difference is their collocations/metaphorical meaning.

  * [芽が出る](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E8%8A%BD%E3%81%8C%E5%87%BA%E3%82%8B/) can be used in the sense that some chances open up: 幸運が巡ってきて、成功の糸口が開ける。目が出る。「長い下積みを経てやっと―◦出る」
  * [芽生える](https://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/word/%E8%8A%BD%E7%94%9F%E3%81%88%E3%82%8B/#jn-217822) can mean _(friendship, love, etc.) to start growing_ : 物事が起こりはじめる。きざす。「愛情が―・える」

芽を出す is usually used literally for plants.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-07-24T11:23:21.860
95536
2022-07-24T11:23:21.860
45489
95505
answer