有機栽培

• Reading: ゆうきさいばい
• Romaji: yuuki saibai
• Kanji breakdown: 有 (yuu) — have, exist; 機 (ki) — mechanism, organic; 栽 (sai) — plant; 培 (bai) — nurture, cultivate
• Pronunciation: /jɯː.ki.sa.i.ba.i/

Meaning

Organic farming; organic cultivation. Growing produce without synthetic chemicals or pesticides.

A noun referring to agricultural methods that avoid synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms. In Japan, products must meet JAS (Japanese Agricultural Standards) organic certification to be labelled 有機. Related terms include 有機野菜 (organic vegetables), オーガニック (organic, loanword), and 無農薬 (pesticide-free, a slightly different concept).

Examples

1. 有機栽培の野菜は少し高いけど安心して食べられる。 Organically grown vegetables are a bit pricey, but you can eat them with peace of mind.
2. 最近は有機栽培に取り組む農家が増えている。 More and more farmers are taking up organic farming these days.
3. 有機栽培の米を使ったおにぎりが人気だ。 Rice balls made with organically grown rice are popular.

Usage Guide

Context: food, agriculture, health, shopping

Tone: informative

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese 有機 (yuuki, organic, from 有 'have' + 機 'mechanism/organic') + 栽培 (saibai, cultivation, from 栽 'plant' + 培 'nurture'). The term 有機 in chemistry refers to carbon-based compounds, extended to mean 'organic' in the agricultural sense.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal