刈る

• Reading: かる
• Romaji: karu
• Kanji breakdown: 刈 (ka/gai) — cut, mow, reap
• Pronunciation: /ka.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To cut (hair); to mow (grass); to harvest. To trim or reap with a cutting tool.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb ending in る. Used for cutting grass or plants (芝を刈る, to mow the lawn), harvesting crops (稲を刈る, to harvest rice), and cutting hair (髪を刈る, to cut hair short). Implies cutting at the base or trimming rather than slicing. Should not be confused with 借りる (kariru, to borrow) or 狩る (karu, to hunt).

Examples

1. 週末に庭の芝生を刈った。 I mowed the lawn in the yard over the weekend.
2. 秋になると農家が稲を刈り始める。 In autumn, farmers start harvesting the rice.
3. 息子の髪を短く刈ってあげた。 I gave my son a short haircut.

Usage Guide

Context: gardening, agriculture, grooming

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 刈 combines 乂 (to cut/mow) and 刂 (knife radical), clearly indicating the action of cutting with a blade. Originally referred to harvesting grain crops.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal