Translation guide
A substance added to soil to help plants grow. In Japanese, the most common word is 肥料 (hiryō). There are also specific terms for chemical and organic fertilizers.
Any substance used to enrich soil and promote plant growth.
The standard, neutral word for fertilizer in all contexts.
この肥料は野菜によく効きます。
This fertilizer works well for vegetables.
肥料をまく時期です。
It's time to spread fertilizer.
A slightly more traditional or agricultural term for fertilizer, often implying manure or compost.
畑に肥やしを入れる。
Put fertilizer on the field.
Synthetic or inorganic fertilizer, often used in modern agriculture.
Specifically refers to chemical or synthetic fertilizers.
化学肥料の使いすぎは環境に悪い。
Overuse of chemical fertilizers is bad for the environment.
A type of chemical fertilizer made by processing multiple ingredients.
Fertilizer derived from natural sources like compost, manure, or plant matter.
The standard term for organic fertilizer.
有機肥料で育てた野菜はおいしい。
Vegetables grown with organic fertilizer are delicious.
Compost or manure used as fertilizer.
Fertilizer in liquid form, often applied by watering.
Liquid fertilizer, commonly used for potted plants and gardening.
液体肥料を週に一度あげてください。
Please apply liquid fertilizer once a week.
肥料 is the standard word used in all contexts, from gardening to agriculture. 肥やし is more colloquial and often implies manure or compost, and can sound a bit old-fashioned or rustic.
化成肥料は扱いやすい。
Compound fertilizers are easy to handle.
Making compost takes time.