Meaning
耕 means tilling the soil, cultivating land, and plowing fields. Breaking up the earth to prepare for planting is one of humanity's oldest tasks — and this kanji captures that act precisely. In modern Japanese, 耕 appears in agricultural contexts but also in figurative language, describing the patient, diligent effort of working toward a long-term goal.
耕 combines two components. The left side is 耒 (らいすき), an ancient pictograph of a wooden plow — literally a farming tool for turning soil. On the right sits 井, which in early Chinese writing depicted a grid-like pattern resembling a divided field. Put them together: a farmer drives a plow across parceled land. That image is the kanji's meaning.
耕 has 10 strokes and is introduced in Grade 5 of Japanese elementary school. That early placement reflects how central agricultural life has been to Japanese culture. Beyond farming vocabulary, the kanji turns up in place names and personal names — especially in rural regions where rice cultivation has shaped communities for centuries.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
コウ is the on'yomi, drawn from the ancient Chinese pronunciation. It appears mostly in compound words (熟語, じゅくご) and turns up most often in written or formal contexts about agriculture and land use.
- 農耕 (nōkō) — agriculture, farming (literally "farming + tilling")
- 耕作 (kōsaku) — cultivation, crop farming (the act of working the land)
- 耕地 (kōchi) — arable land, cultivated land
- 深耕 (shinkō) — deep plowing; figuratively, thorough and sustained effort
- 水耕 (suikō) — hydroponics, water-based cultivation
- 耕運機 (kōunki) — rotary tiller, motorized cultivator
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
たがや(す) is the kun'yomi. 耕す is the native Japanese verb for tilling or plowing soil — used both literally in farm settings and figuratively in everyday speech. As a transitive verb, it always takes an object. 心を耕す (kokoro wo tagayasu), for instance, means to cultivate one's inner life.
- 畑を耕す (hatake wo tagayasu) — to till the field
- 耕された土地 (tagayasareta tochi) — cultivated land (past passive form)
- 心を耕す (kokoro wo tagayasu) — to cultivate one's heart and mind (figurative)
Common Words & Compounds
Most compounds cluster around agriculture and land management, but 耕 also appears in figurative expressions about patient effort.
Agriculture & Farming
- 農耕 (nōkō) — agriculture, farming
- 耕作 (kōsaku) — cultivation, tilling and planting
- 耕作地 (kōsakuchi) — farmland under active cultivation
- 耕地 (kōchi) — arable land
- 農耕民族 (nōkō minzoku) — agrarian people, farming civilization
Methods & Tools
- 深耕 (shinkō) — deep plowing (turning the soil to greater depth)
- 耕運機 (kōunki) — motorized cultivator, rotary tiller
- 水耕栽培 (suikō saibai) — hydroponic cultivation
- 耕転 (kōten) — soil tillage, turning the earth
Figurative Uses
- 耕す (tagayasu) — to till; to cultivate ideas, relationships, or skills
- 心を耕す (kokoro wo tagayasu) — to enrich one's inner life
- 文化を耕す (bunka wo tagayasu) — to cultivate culture
Example Sentences
農家の人々は毎朝畑を耕す。
Nōka no hitobito wa mai asa hatake wo tagayasu.
The farmers till their fields every morning.
この地域では農耕が主な産業だ。
Kono chiiki de wa nōkō ga omo na sangyō da.
In this region, farming is the main industry.
祖父は毎日耕作に励んでいる。
Sofu wa mainichi kōsaku ni hagande iru.
My grandfather works hard at farming every day.
この土地は耕地として使われていない。
Kono tochi wa kōchi to shite tsukawarete inai.
This land is not being used as arable farmland.
耕運機を使って田んぼを耕す。
Kōunki wo tsukatte tanbo wo tagayasu.
We till the rice paddy using a rotary tiller.
深耕することで土の質が向上する。
Shinkō suru koto de tsuchi no shitsu ga kōjō suru.
Deep plowing improves the quality of the soil.
先生は生徒の心を耕すような授業をする。
Sensei wa seito no kokoro wo tagayasu yō na jugyō wo suru.
The teacher gives lessons that cultivate the students' minds.
水耕栽培は土がなくても野菜を育てられる。
Suikō saibai wa tsuchi ga nakute mo yasai wo sodaterareru.
With hydroponic cultivation, you can grow vegetables even without soil.
農耕民族は土地に根付いた生活を送る。
Nōkō minzoku wa tochi ni nezuita seikatsu wo okuru.
Agrarian peoples lead lives deeply rooted in the land.
春になると農家は一斉に耕作を始める。
Haru ni naru to nōka wa issei ni kōsaku wo hajimeru.
When spring arrives, farmers all start cultivating at once.
Memory Tip
Break the kanji into its two halves. On the left: 耒, an old wooden plow — picture a farmer gripping its handle, leaning into the earth. On the right: 井, a grid of four squares, like a field divided into neat plots from above. Plow meets parceled earth — that's 耕.
To lock in the sound, think of the on'yomi コウ: a farmer calls out "KŌ!" as he drives the blade into the ground. For Vietnamese learners, the Hán-Việt reading CANH links directly to canh tác (farming) — same kanji, same meaning, instant bridge.