Translation guide
A flooded field for growing rice. In Japanese, the most common word is 田んぼ (tanbo), but there are several terms depending on context, formality, and whether the field is flooded or not.
The most common, everyday word for a flooded rice field, used in conversation and informal writing.
The standard, casual word for a rice paddy. Safe to use in most situations.
In summer, the paddy fields are flooded with water.
When I was a child, I often played in the paddy fields.
A slightly more formal or literary term for a rice paddy. Often used in compounds or written language.
Japan's rice paddies create beautiful scenery.
Distinguishing between a paddy that is currently flooded with water and one that is dry (e.g., after harvest).
Referring to the paddy as a piece of farmland, often in legal, economic, or geographic contexts.
Used when discussing paddy fields as a category of agricultural land.
Much of Japan's farmland is paddy fields.
Refers to fields in general, including both rice paddies and dry fields. Often used when talking about farming or rural landscapes.
Specifically referring to rice paddies built on hillsides in stepped terraces.
Terraced rice paddies, a common scenic feature in mountainous areas of Japan.
The scenery of terraced rice paddies is one of Japan's original landscapes.
田んぼ is the everyday word, 田 is more formal/literary and often used in compounds, and 水田 specifically means a flooded paddy. Use 田んぼ in conversation, 田 in writing or set phrases, and 水田 when you need to emphasize the presence of water.
After harvest, the paddy field becomes a dry field.
A rural landscape with fields stretching out.