noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
germination; sprouting; budding
Literal botanical sense: the process by which a seed or bud begins to grow. Also used figuratively for the very early stage of something.
春になると、庭のあちこちで植物の萌芽が見られる。
In spring, you can see plants sprouting here and there in the garden.
新しい技術の萌芽がこの研究から生まれた。
The germ of a new technology emerged from this research.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb
early sign; beginning; first appearance
Abstract use: the earliest stage or first faint sign of a phenomenon, movement, or trend. Often used in formal or written contexts.
社会不安の萌芽が各地で見られるようになった。
Early signs of social unrest began to appear in various places.
この作品には、後の傑作の萌芽がすでに感じられる。
In this work, one can already sense the beginnings of his later masterpiece.