植物

• Reading: しょくぶつ
• Romaji: shokubutsu
• Kanji breakdown: 植 (shoku) — plant, grow; 物 (butsu) — thing, object
• Pronunciation: /ɕo.kɯ.bɯ.tsɯ/

Meaning

Plant; vegetation. A general term for all plant life including flowers, trees, and grasses.

A broad scientific term covering all plant life. Used in compounds like 植物園 (botanical garden), 植物学 (botany), and 観葉植物 (houseplant/foliage plant). Distinct from 草 (grass/herb) and 木 (tree) which refer to specific types.

Examples

1. 母は植物を育てるのが好きです。 My mother likes growing plants.
2. 日曜日に植物園に行きました。 I went to the botanical garden on Sunday.
3. この植物には毎日水をあげてください。 Please water this plant every day.

Usage Guide

Context: nature, science, gardening

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 植 (to plant) and 物 (thing, object). Together they describe things that are planted or grow from the ground.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal