Translation guide
The English word "crop" has several distinct meanings. This guide covers the most common uses: agricultural plants, a harvested yield, a short haircut, and the verb meaning to cut short. It also touches on less common meanings like a whip, a bird's crop, and the verb meaning to appear unexpectedly.
A plant grown for food or other products, often on a large scale.
General term for cultivated plants or agricultural produce. Can refer to crops in the field or after harvest.
今年は作物の出来がいい。
The crops are doing well this year.
この地域では米が主な作物です。
Rice is the main crop in this region.
Specifically agricultural crops; emphasizes farming context.
台風で農作物に大きな被害が出た。
The typhoon caused extensive damage to crops.
Refers specifically to grain crops like wheat, rice, corn, etc.
穀物の価格が上昇している。
Grain prices are rising.
The amount of a crop produced in a season; the harvest.
Harvest or yield. Can refer to the act of harvesting or the amount harvested.
今年の小麦の収穫は豊作だった。
This year's wheat crop was abundant.
収穫の時期が近づいている。
The harvest season is approaching.
Yield or output, often used in agricultural or economic contexts.
Crop condition or harvest quality; somewhat formal.
A hairstyle where the hair is cut very short and evenly.
A short, even haircut; often a buzz cut or crew cut. Literally "mowed up".
夏はいつも刈り上げにしている。
I always get a crop cut in the summer.
A specific style: flat-top or box cut, where the top is flat and sides are short.
Descriptive phrase: "hair cut short". Not a specific style name.
短く刈った髪が涼しげだ。
His cropped hair looks cool.
To cut something short, especially hair, grass, or plants.
To cut (grass, hair, crops). General verb for cropping or mowing.
芝生を刈る。
To crop the lawn.
髪を短く刈ってもらった。
I had my hair cropped short.
To cut short, trim, or curtail. Can be used for hair, budgets, etc.
To prune or trim plants, especially trees and shrubs. More specific than general cropping.
庭木を剪定する。
To crop the garden trees.
A short whip used in horse riding.
A riding crop or horsewhip.
騎手は乗馬鞭を使った。
The jockey used a crop.
General word for whip; context clarifies it's a riding crop.
彼は馬に鞭を当てた。
He applied the crop to the horse.
A pouch in a bird's throat where food is stored before digestion.
The crop of a bird. Technical/biological term.
鳥のその嚢に餌がたまっている。
The bird's crop is full of food.
To appear or happen unexpectedly; to crop up.
To appear suddenly. Used for problems, people, etc.
問題が突然現れた。
A problem cropped up.
To arise or come up (of a matter, problem). Often used for unexpected issues.
新たな問題が持ち上がった。
A new problem cropped up.
作物 (sakumotsu) refers to crops collectively or as a category. For a single plant, use 植物 (shokubutsu) or the specific plant name.
この植物はトマトです。
This plant is a tomato.
収穫 (shūkaku) is the harvest or yield, while 作物 (sakumotsu) is the crop itself. Use 収穫 when talking about the amount gathered or the act of harvesting.
農家が作物を収穫している。
The farmers are harvesting the crops.
彼女はおしゃれな刈り上げにした。
She got a stylish crop.
この写真をトリミングする必要がある。
I need to crop this photo.
For image cropping, use トリミングする (trimming suru) or 切り取る (kiritoru).
今年の米の出来高は平年並みだ。
This year's rice crop is about average.
作柄は天候に左右される。
The crop yield depends on the weather.
彼は角刈りがよく似合う。
He looks good with a flat-top crop.
髪を切り詰める。
To crop one's hair.