Meaning
The kanji 田 represents the literal and cultural landscape of Japan. While its primary meaning is "rice field" or "paddy," it symbolizes the agricultural foundation that built Japanese society. The character is a perfect pictograph. Its square shape depicts a plot of land, while the internal cross represents the narrow paths or irrigation channels that divide the fields. When you see this character, imagine looking down at a farm from a bird's-eye view.
In ancient Japan, owning 田 was equivalent to holding wealth and power. This deep history is why the character appears in countless Japanese surnames. Families living in the center of a field became 田中 (Tanaka), while those near a mountain field became 山田 (Yamada). It is a first-grade kanji with only five strokes, making it one of the first characters every student masters. Beyond its simple meaning, it also acts as a radical in more complex kanji related to work, brains, and boundaries.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The on'yomi for this character is デン (den). This reading is usually found in multi-kanji compound words. You will see it in formal, technical, or geographical terms, often describing specialized types of land or resources.
- 水田 (suiden) — A water-filled paddy field used for rice.
- 油田 (yuden) — An oil field (literally "oil rice-field").
- 田園 (den'en) — The countryside or rural districts, often used for poetic scenery.
- 塩田 (enden) — A salt pan or salt field.
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The native reading is た (ta). This is used when the kanji stands alone as a noun or appears in surnames. In many compound words, the sound softens to だ (da), a linguistic change known as rendaku.
- 田 (ta) — A rice field or paddy.
- 田んぼ (tanbo) — The most common way to say "rice field" in daily conversation.
- 田植え (taue) — Rice planting, a major seasonal event in Japan.
- 棚田 (tanada) — Terraced rice fields built on hillsides.
Common Words & Compounds
Rice fields are so integral to Japanese life that this kanji appears in a vast range of vocabulary, from geography to insults.
Agricultural and Geographical Terms
- 田畑 (tahata) — Fields and gardens; a general term for all farm land.
- 新田 (shinden) — Newly developed rice fields, frequently found in place names.
- 田舎 (inaka) — The countryside. Note that this is an ateji reading (the kanji are used for meaning, not sound).
- 青田 (aota) — Green, unharvested rice fields.
Names and Daily Life
- 成田 (narita) — Narita, most famous for Japan’s primary international airport.
- 吉田 (yoshida) — Yoshida (A common surname meaning "lucky field").
- 田舎者 (inakamono) — A person from the country; sometimes used to mean "a hick."
- 秋田 (akita) — Akita (A northern prefecture famous for high-quality rice and Akita Inu dogs).
Example Sentences
これは私の祖父が持っている田んぼです。
kore wa watashi no sofu ga motte iru tanbo desu.
This is the rice field that my grandfather owns.
田中さんは親切な先生です。
tanaka san wa shinsetsu na sensei desu.
Mr. Tanaka is a kind teacher.
夏休みには、いつも田舎に帰ります。
natsuyasumi ni wa, itsumo inaka ni kaerimasu.
I always go back to my hometown in the countryside during summer vacation.
５月から６月にかけて田植えをします。
gogatsu kara rokugatsu ni kakete taue wo shimasu.
Rice planting takes place from May through June.
窓から美しい田園風景が見えます。
mado kara utsukushii den'en fūkei ga miemasu.
I can see beautiful rural scenery from the window.
夜になると、田んぼでカエルが鳴きます。
yoru ni naru to, tanbo de kaeru ga nakimasu.
When night falls, frogs croak in the rice fields.
Related Kanji
- 夕 — Evening, Dusk (Kanji N4)
- 弟 — Younger Brother, Junior (Kanji N4)
- 地 — Ground, Earth, Land (Kanji N4)
- 春 — Spring (Kanji N4)
- 菜 — Vegetable, Greens, Dish (Kanji N4)
- 早 — Early, Fast (Kanji N4)
Memory Tip
Think of 田 as a window or a map. Imagine looking down from an airplane at a large square farm. To manage water and paths, the farmer has divided the land into four equal squares. This simple grid is the "field." It is a literal window into the agricultural heart of Japan!