noun
hillside farm; fallow ground
Refers to a farm on a hillside, often created by clearing and burning vegetation, or to land left fallow. The term is somewhat specialized and may be encountered in agricultural or historical contexts.
この地域には昔ながらの切り畑が点在している。
Traditional hillside farms are scattered throughout this region.
切り畑を休ませて地力を回復させる。
They let the fallow ground rest to restore its fertility.
Compound of 切り (kiri, 'cutting') + 畑 (hata, 'dry field'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it likely refers to land cleared by cutting vegetation on a hillside.