noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
reclamation; cultivation; development
Literal sense: clearing and developing wild land, wasteland, or forests for farming or settlement.
北海道の開拓は明治時代に本格化した。
The development of Hokkaido began in earnest in the Meiji period.
彼らは荒地を開拓して農場を作った。
They reclaimed wasteland and built a farm.
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb
pioneering; opening up; breaking new ground
Figurative sense: exploring new fields, markets, or frontiers; doing something no one has done before.
彼は新しい市場を開拓するために海外へ行った。
He went abroad to open up new markets.
この研究は未開拓の分野を切り開くものだ。
This research breaks new ground in an unexplored field.