Translation guide
A lawn is an area of grass kept short, usually around a house or in a park. Japanese homes rarely have large lawns, so the concept is less common, but there are several ways to express it depending on context.
The speaker wants to refer to the grassy area maintained around a house, often in a Western context.
The most common word for a lawn or grassy area. It can refer to any grass-covered ground, but is often used for maintained lawns.
There is a small lawn in front of the house.
The children are playing on the lawn.
Means 'garden' or 'yard'. In Japanese homes, the outdoor area is usually a garden rather than a lawn, so this is often the natural equivalent. Use when the lawn is part of a yard.
I take care of the lawn/garden on weekends.
Refers to the grass itself (turf). Often used in compounds or when talking about the grass type.
The lawn in this park is beautiful.
The speaker is talking about grass as a ground surface, not necessarily around a house.
Works for any grass-covered area, including parks and fields.
We had a picnic on the lawn in the park.
Often used in sports contexts (e.g., 天然芝 natural grass, 人工芝 artificial turf).
Means 'grassland' or 'meadow'. More natural and less maintained than a lawn. Use for wild grassy areas.
The speaker wants to talk about maintaining a lawn, such as mowing or watering.
In Japan, houses typically have gardens (庭) with trees, moss, or gravel rather than large grass lawns. Using 芝生 may sound like a Western-style lawn. If you're talking about a Japanese home's outdoor area, 庭 is often more natural.
The lawn needs mowing.
They are sitting on the lawn.
This stadium has natural grass.
牛が草地で草を食べている。
Cows are eating grass in the meadow.