肥料

• Reading: ひりょう
• Romaji: hiryou
• Kanji breakdown: 肥 (hi) — fatten, fertile, enrich; 料 (ryou) — material, fee
• Pronunciation: /çi.ɾʲoː/

Meaning

Fertiliser; manure; compost. A substance added to soil to promote plant growth.

A noun referring to any material used to enrich soil for agriculture or gardening. Covers both organic fertiliser (有機肥料) and chemical fertiliser (化学肥料). Often encountered in contexts related to farming, gardening, and environmental discussions. Related terms include 堆肥 (compost) and 肥やし (manure, more colloquial).

Examples

1. 春になったら畑に肥料をまく予定です。 I plan to spread fertilizer in the field when spring comes.
2. 有機肥料を使った野菜は味が違うらしい。 Apparently, vegetables grown with organic fertilizer taste different.
3. この花には液体肥料を月に一回あげてください。 Please give this flower liquid fertilizer once a month.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, gardening, environment

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 肥 (hi, to fatten/enrich) + 料 (ryou, material/fee). Literally 'fattening material,' describing a substance that enriches the soil and promotes growth.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal