N2 · 41 words

Farming, fishing and the food supply

From the field and the harbour to the label on the packet.

Farming words are built from a few kanji that keep coming back, so one learned opens several: 農業(のうぎょう), 農家(のうか), 農薬(のうやく) and 農地(のうち) all begin the same way. Two places where English gets in the way: 食料(しょくりょう) is food as a supply a country has or lacks, 食品(しょくひん) food as a product on a shelf; and the rice growing in the field (稲(いね)), the grain (米(こめ)) and the rice on the plate (ご飯(はん)) are three different words.

The words

Verb (2)

耕すto till; to ploughVerbN2

春(はる)になったら、まず畑(はたけ)を耕(たがや)して土(つち)を柔(やわ)らかくする。When spring comes, the first job is to dig over the field and loosen the soil.

実るto bear fruit; to ripenVerbN2

長(なが)い夏(なつ)のおかげで、ぶどうがよく実(みの)った。Thanks to the long summer, the grapes ripened well.

Also figurative: 努力(どりょく)が実(みの)る, effort pays off.

This list belongs to Food and drink — six lists and 242 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 41 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.