hay-meadow commons; common meadow for grass cutting
Refers to a shared meadow historically used for cutting grass or hay, often as a common resource.
Long ago, the villagers cut grass together at the common meadow.
place or organization from which many hope to benefit; honey pot
Figurative extension: a resource, position, or organization that many people try to exploit or profit from, like a shared meadow that everyone wants to use.
That subsidy system has become a honey pot for the industry.
Compound of 草 (kusa, 'grass') + 刈 (kari, 'cutting') + 場 (ba, 'place'). The literal meaning is 'grass-cutting place', historically a common meadow.