Translation guide
The English word "harvest" can refer to the act of gathering crops, the season when this happens, or the yield itself. In Japanese, different words and expressions are used depending on the nuance. This guide covers the most common and natural ways to express these ideas.
To express the action of collecting ripe crops from the fields.
The most general verb meaning 'to harvest' or 'to reap'. It can be used for any crop.
秋に米を収穫します。
We harvest rice in the fall.
Literally 'to cut and take', used for harvesting grains like rice or wheat by cutting. More specific than 収穫する.
小麦を刈り取る時期です。
It's time to harvest the wheat.
Used for picking fruits, vegetables, or tea leaves by hand. Often translated as 'pick' rather than 'harvest'.
りんごを摘む。
Pick apples.
To refer to the period when crops are gathered.
The harvest season or harvest period. A straightforward compound.
収穫期は地域によって異なります。
The harvest season varies by region.
Refers to the act of bringing in the harvest, often implying the busy harvest period. Can also be used as a verb (取り入れる).
A poetic phrase meaning 'autumn of harvest' or 'fruitful autumn', often used in literary or seasonal contexts.
実りの秋を迎えました。
We have welcomed the fruitful autumn.
To refer to the amount or the actual crops that have been harvested.
Noun meaning 'harvest' or 'yield'. Can refer to the act or the product.
今年の米の収穫は豊作だった。
This year's rice harvest was abundant.
Specifically refers to the yield or output, often used in agricultural statistics.
Refers to the condition or quality of the harvest, often used in news or reports.
To express the idea of reaping benefits or results from effort.
Literally 'obtain results', a natural way to express reaping the benefits of work.
長年の研究の成果を得た。
We reaped the rewards of years of research.
Idiom meaning 'to bear fruit', used for efforts that finally produce results.
彼の努力が実を結んだ。
His efforts bore fruit.
Can be used metaphorically to mean 'reap' rewards or consequences, but less common than the above.
The loanword ハーベスト is rarely used in Japanese except in product names (e.g., ハーベストタイム). For general use, stick to native or Sino-Japanese terms.
収穫する is the general verb for harvesting any crop. 刈り取る specifically means cutting and gathering, typically for grains. Use 収穫する unless you want to emphasize the cutting action.
取り入れの時期は農家にとって一番忙しい。
The harvest time is the busiest for farmers.
収穫高が去年より増えた。
The harvest yield increased compared to last year.
今年の作柄は平年並みです。
This year's harvest is about average.
You must reap what you sow.