Translation guide
The English word 'growing' can refer to physical increase in size, emotional or intellectual development, or cultivation of plants. This guide covers natural Japanese expressions for each meaning.
To describe something that is becoming larger, more numerous, or more intense over time.
General verb for increase in number or quantity. Used for countable things, population, etc.
The number of foreign tourists has been growing recently.
Formal term for increase, often used in news or reports.
The elderly population is growing.
To become bigger in physical size. Common for children, plants, animals.
The child is growing quickly.
To grow or mature, often used for living things or economies.
This plant grows fast.
To expand or enlarge, used for scale, scope, business, etc.
We are growing our business.
To describe personal growth, maturing, or gaining experience.
To describe the act of growing plants, crops, or flowers.
To raise or grow plants, children, or animals. Transitive verb.
I am growing vegetables in the garden.
To cultivate, used for agricultural crops or gardening.
They grow rice in this region.
To plant, focusing on the action of putting seeds/plants into the ground.
To describe something that is becoming more noticeable or developing over time.
Attach to verb te-form to indicate a gradual change that has been happening and continues. Often used with adjectives like 大きく (big) or 増えて (increase).
It's been growing colder.
Fatigue has been growing lately.
Adverb meaning 'more and more' or 'increasingly', used before adjectives or verbs.
His story grew more and more interesting.
育てる is transitive (someone grows something), while 成長する is intransitive (something grows on its own). Use 育てる for raising children, pets, or plants; use 成長する for natural growth or personal development.
My mother grows flowers.
The child is growing up healthy.
English often uses 'growing' as an adjective (e.g., 'growing concern'). Japanese typically uses verbs like 高まる (たかまる) or 増える (ふえる) instead of a direct adjective form.
There is a growing interest in Japanese culture.
The company is growing rapidly.
I want to grow as a person by studying abroad.
His English ability is growing rapidly.
I planted flower seeds in spring.