A flower; a blossom or petal — the bloom of a plant.
庭に色とりどりの花が咲いている。
Colorful flowers are blooming in the garden.
誕生日に母に花を一束買って帰った。
I bought a bouquet of flowers for my mother’s birthday and brought it home.
風で花びらが散ってしまった。
The petals were blown away by the wind.
Specifically (often) the cherry blossom; the blossoms you view at hanami.
毎年春には友達と花見に行く。
Every spring I go to see the cherry blossoms with friends.
今年は桜の花が早く咲いた。
This year the cherry blossoms bloomed early.
公園は花でいっぱいで、まるでピンクの絨毯のようだった。
The park was full of blossoms, like a pink carpet.
Beauty — used metaphorically for someone or something that is the attraction or prettiest thing in a group.
彼女はクラスの花と言われている。
She is said to be the beauty of the class.
同窓会では久しぶりに会った彼女が一番の花だった。
At the reunion, the woman we met after a long time was the standout beauty.
式場では新婦が花だった。
At the venue, the bride was the center of attention (the beauty).
Blooming — the state of flowering, often used for cherry blossoms opening.
春になると通りの花が一斉に咲き始める。
In spring, the street's blossoms all start to open at once.
今年は花の時期が例年より早かった。
This year the blooming season came earlier than usual.
朝見ると庭の花が開いていた。
When I looked in the morning, the garden's flowers had opened.
Ikebana — traditional Japanese flower arrangement (the art of arranging flowers).
母は週に一度、花の教室で生け花を習っている。
My mother takes ikebana lessons once a week at a flower class.
式には先生が生け花を披露した。
At the ceremony the teacher demonstrated ikebana.
茶席には簡素な花が一つ生けてあった。
A simple ikebana arrangement was placed at the tea ceremony seat.
An abbreviation for hanafuda — the traditional Japanese playing cards; may refer to the cards or the game.
正月に祖父と花で遊んだ。
I played hanafuda with my grandfather over New Year.
彼は花の札を何枚か持っていた。
He had several hanafuda cards.
Used in expressions like 'iwanu ga hana' meaning 'better left unsaid' — often appears in the pattern '〜が花' (something is best left unsaid).
詳しく説明するより、言わぬが花だと思う。
I think it's better left unsaid than explained in detail.
余計なことは言わない方が花だ。
It's better not to say unnecessary things.
Used in phrases with 'no' to mean glorious, splendid, or lovely (e.g., 'hana no miyako' — a splendid capital).
花の都パリは観光客に人気だ。
The 'city of flowers' Paris is popular with tourists.
彼女は花のように優雅に歩いた。
She walked gracefully like a flower.