noun
field; cultivated land; vegetable plot
Refers to dry fields for crops like wheat, vegetables, or fruit, as opposed to flooded rice paddies (田). Also used for kitchen gardens and small plots.
祖父は畑でトマトを作っている。
My grandfather grows tomatoes in his field.
家の裏に小さな畑
There is a small vegetable plot behind the house.
noun, noun, used as a suffix
field (of specialization); area; line of work
Only with reading はたけ
Metaphorical extension of the farming sense. Often used as a suffix 〜畑 (read ばたけ) to indicate a professional domain, e.g., 法律畑 (the legal field).
彼は長年、教育畑で働いてきた。
He has worked in the field of education for many years.
私は技術畑の人間なので、法律のことはよくわかりません。
I'm a tech person, so I don't know much about legal matters.
noun
Only with reading はたけ
Colloquial, somewhat old-fashioned metaphor for the womb or one's birthplace. Often used in phrases like 畑が違う (to be of different origin/background).
彼とは育った畑が違うから、考え方も違う。
We come from different backgrounds, so our ways of thinking differ.
あの人は政治家の畑から出てきた。
He comes from a political background.