Translation guide
The concept of crops failing to produce a harvest, typically due to weather, disease, or pests. In Japanese, this is expressed through specific nouns and verbs describing poor harvests or crop damage.
To describe a situation where crops do not yield enough, often due to natural causes.
The most common and general term for a bad harvest or crop failure. Used in news, agriculture, and everyday conversation.
今年は日照りで凶作になった。
This year, the drought caused a crop failure.
凶作の年は食料が不足する。
In years of crop failure, food becomes scarce.
Similar to 凶作 but slightly less severe; often used for a poor harvest or reduced yield. Can also be used metaphorically.
冷夏のため米が不作だった。
The rice harvest was poor due to the cool summer.
A more technical or formal term meaning 'poor harvest' or 'crop failure'. Often used in agricultural reports.
異常気象による収穫不良が報告された。
Crop failures due to abnormal weather were reported.
To emphasize that crops were damaged or destroyed by a specific cause (e.g., typhoon, insects).
General term for damage. When combined with crop names, it indicates crop damage. Often used with verbs like 受ける (うける) or 出る (でる).
台風で稲に大きな被害が出た。
The typhoon caused extensive damage to the rice crop.
害虫の被害で収穫が激減した。
The harvest was drastically reduced due to insect damage.
Means 'the crops are completely destroyed'. Stronger than just poor harvest; implies total loss.
長雨で作物が全滅した。
The crops were completely destroyed by the long rain.
To describe the resulting famine or food shortage when crops fail.
Famine. Often historically or in serious contexts. Implies widespread crop failure leading to starvation.
凶作が続き、飢饉が起こった。
Crop failures continued, and a famine occurred.
凶作 (きょうさく) implies a severe crop failure, often widespread and causing hardship. 不作 (ふさく) is a poor harvest, but not necessarily catastrophic. In everyday speech, 不作 is more common for mild to moderate poor yields.
今年の米は不作だったが、凶作とまではいかない。
This year's rice harvest was poor, but it's not a crop failure.
Do not translate 'crop failure' directly as 作物失敗 (さくもつしっぱい) or similar. It is not natural Japanese. Use the terms above.
Food shortage. More neutral and modern than 飢饉. Can be used for temporary shortages.
不作のため食糧不足が心配されている。
Food shortages are feared due to the poor harvest.