Japanese kanji 野: fields, vegetables and fields of study

The idea

野 has 11 strokes; follow the linked KanjiVG diagram for their order. Read 野原（のはら） and 野菜（やさい） as whole words: a kanji’s reading depends on the word.

Examples

• 野原のはらに花はなが咲さいています。Flowers are blooming in the field.
• 野原のはらを子こどもたちが走はしります。The children run across the field.
• 野菜やさいを切きって、鍋なべに入いれます。I cut the vegetables and put them in the pot.
• 毎日まいにち新鮮しんせんな野菜やさいを食たべます。I eat fresh vegetables every day.
• 専門せんもんの分野ぶんやを教おしえてください。Please tell me your field of expertise.
• 彼女かのじょは教育きょういくの分野ぶんやで働はたらいています。She works in the field of education.

Watch out

野菜 is read やさい, not のさい; 野原 is read のはら. Do not assume that every word containing 野 has the same meaning or reading. Compare 野 with 里; pay attention to 予 when distinguishing their shapes.

Try it yourself

1. Write the reading of 野原 in hiragana.

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   のはら

   野原 is read のはら. In context: Flowers are blooming in the field.

2. Write the reading of 野菜 in hiragana.

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   やさい

   野菜 is read やさい. In context: I cut the vegetables and put them in the pot.

3. Write the missing kanji: 分＿（ぶんや）［野／里］.

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   野

   野 completes 分野, read ぶんや. In context: Please tell me your field of expertise.

Use it today

Cover the table, write 野 from memory and read 野原 and 野菜 aloud. Check your readings against the examples.