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.
I did some weeding in the garden over the weekend.
Weeding is hard work.
The verb phrase meaning 'to pull weeds' or 'to remove weeds'. It's a very common, everyday expression.
I have to weed the garden.
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.
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.
Farmers are busy with weeding work.
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.
I cut the weeds on the embankment.
Referring to weeding as a household or garden chore, often in a list of tasks.
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.
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.
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.
I weed the garden every morning.
Uncompetitive companies are weeded out in the market.