田

• Reading: た
• Romaji: ta
• Kanji breakdown: 田 (ta/den) — rice field, paddy
• Pronunciation: /ta/

Meaning

Rice field; paddy. A flooded field used for growing rice.

A noun referring to a wet rice paddy, one of the most iconic features of the Japanese landscape. Appears in countless place names and surnames (田中 Tanaka, 田村 Tamura). Also used in compounds like 田んぼ (tanbo, rice paddy, casual) and 水田 (suiden, paddy field, formal).

Examples

1. 春になると田に水を入れて田植えをする。 When spring comes, the fields are flooded and the rice planting begins.
2. 電車の窓から広い田が見えた。 I could see wide open rice paddies from the train window.
3. おじいちゃんの田で米を作っている。 We grow rice in grandpa's paddy field.

Usage Guide

Context: agriculture, rural life, geography

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 田 is a pictograph representing the grid pattern of rice paddies divided by irrigation channels. One of the oldest and most recognisable kanji.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal