The Meaning of karu [刈る] In Japanese
刈る
かる
Romaji: karu
N5
What does 刈る mean?
Translation and Meaning
to cut, to mow, to harvest, to reap, to trim
Definition
刈る means to cut vegetation with a sharp blade; it is a transitive verb used to mow grass, harvest crops, or trim plants, typically with blades, sickles, or shears.
Type
Verb (godan) (五段動詞)
Stroke Order
Meanings
- to cut vegetation, especially grass or crops, with a blade
- to harvest by cutting crops as part of farming or gardening
- to trim or prune hedges, bushes, or overgrowth
Usage
Commonly used in agriculture and gardening; suitable for both formal writing and everyday speech; typical constructions include 草を刈る and 庭の雑草を刈る, with を marking the direct object and る ending indicating dictionary form.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: the left radical is a knife guiding the stroke across grass; picture a blade cutting through tall strands and the sound karu echoes as you swing the blade.
Variations
- 刈る — to mow or cut vegetation (karu)
- 刈り取る — to harvest by cutting (karitoru)
- 刈り込む — to trim or prune hedges or shrubs (karikomu)
Example Phrases
-
休日に庭の草を刈る予定だ。kyuujitsu ni niwa no kusa o karu yotei da.I plan to mow the garden grass on my day off.Lista:
- 休日に (kyuujitsu ni) – on a day off
- 庭の (niwa no) – garden’s
- 草を (kusa o) – grass
- 刈る (karu) – to mow
- 予定だ (yotei da) – it’s a plan
The core grammar point is the verb 「刈る」 meaning ‘to mow’. It takes 草を as the object; 予定だ marks intention.
