Translation guide
The act of removing unwanted plants from a garden, field, or other area. In Japanese, this is most commonly expressed with the noun 草取り or the verb 草を取る, but several other words and phrases exist depending on the context.
To remove weeds from a garden, field, or yard as a general activity.
The most common and neutral word for weeding. It literally means 'grass removal' and is used for pulling or cutting weeds in gardens, yards, and fields.
週末は庭の草取りをした。
I did some weeding in the garden over the weekend.
草取りが大変だ。
Weeding is hard work.
The verb phrase meaning 'to pull weeds' or 'to remove weeds'. It's a very common, everyday expression.
庭の草を取らなくちゃ。
I have to weed the garden.
花壇の草を取ってください。
Please weed the flower bed.
Literally 'grass plucking', this is a very common synonym for 草取り. It often implies pulling weeds by hand.
子どもと一緒に草むしりをした。
I did some weeding with my kids.
A more formal or technical term for weeding, often used in agricultural, landscaping, or official contexts. It can also refer to chemical weed control.
農家は除草作業に追われている。
Farmers are busy with weeding work.
除草剤を使う。
Use herbicide.
Specifically means 'grass cutting' or 'mowing', often with a sickle or machine. It's used for cutting down tall weeds or grass rather than pulling them out by the roots.
土手の草刈りをした。
I cut the weeds on the embankment.
Referring to weeding as a household or garden chore, often in a list of tasks.
The standard way to say 'do the weeding'.
今日の仕事は草取りをすることです。
Today's job is to do the weeding.
Same as above, with a slightly more hands-on nuance.
毎朝、庭の草むしりをしています。
I weed the garden every morning.
To remove unwanted elements from a group, list, or collection, similar to 'weed out' in English.
Literally 'to pass through a sieve', this is a common metaphor for screening or weeding out candidates, ideas, etc.
応募者をふるいにかけて、面接する人を選ぶ。
We weed out the applicants and select people to interview.
Means 'to sort' or 'to select', often implying the removal of inferior items. It can be used for weeding out in a more formal sense.
不良品を選別する。
Weed out defective products.
Means 'to weed out' in the sense of natural selection or淘汰. It's used for eliminating the weak or unfit, often in business or evolutionary contexts.
市場で競争力のない企業は淘汰される。
Uncompetitive companies are weeded out in the market.