Refers to organic matter decomposed for use as fertilizer. In agricultural contexts, 堆肥 often implies composted material, while 厩肥 (きゅうひ) specifically means barnyard manure.
I'm making compost to use in my home garden.
Spread compost on the field to enrich the soil.
I spread compost on the field before sowing the seeds.
I'm making compost using fallen leaves.
More households are turning kitchen scraps into compost.
堆肥 is the native Japanese term for composted fertilizer, while コンポスト is the katakana word typically used for home/garden composting and the compost bin itself.
堆肥 refers narrowly to composted organic matter, whereas 肥やし is broader and can also mean raw manure or night soil.
堆肥 refers to compost made from decomposed organic matter, whereas 肥 more directly denotes animal or human excrement used as fertilizer.
堆肥 shares the kanji 堆 with 堆積 but means compost, decomposed organic fertilizer, not the general process of piling up or accumulation.
Standard kanji spelling, widely used in agriculture and gardening contexts.
Mixed kana-kanji spelling sometimes seen in informal or educational materials.
Compound of 堆 (たい, 'heap, pile') and 肥 (ひ, 'fertilizer, manure'), literally 'piled fertilizer'. The term reflects the traditional method of piling organic waste to decompose into compost.