畑

• Reading: はたけ
• Romaji: hatake
• Kanji breakdown: 畑 (hatake) — field, farm (Japanese-made kanji)
• Pronunciation: /ha.ta.ke/

Meaning

Field; cultivated plot of land for growing crops other than rice.

A noun referring to a dry field used for growing vegetables, fruits, and other crops (as opposed to 田, ta, which is a rice paddy). Common compounds: 畑仕事 (hatake shigoto, field work), 花畑 (hanabatake, flower field), お花畑 (ohanabatake, flower field / figuratively 'in a dream world'). Figurative: 専門の畑 (senmon no hatake, one's area of expertise). The kanji 畑 is a Japanese-made character (国字).

Examples

1. 祖母は毎朝畑で野菜を育てている。 My grandmother grows vegetables in her field every morning.
2. 広い畑にひまわりが一面に咲いていた。 Sunflowers were blooming across the entire wide field.
3. 彼は医学の畑で長年研究してきた。 He has been doing research in the field of medicine for many years.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, rural life, figurative expertise

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

A Japanese-made kanji (国字) combining 火 (fire) and 田 (field). This reflects the slash-and-burn (焼畑) agricultural technique of clearing fields with fire before planting dry crops.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Rural/agricultural