植物に水をやる
shokubutsu ni mizu o yaru
To water plants in Japanese is 植物に水をやる (shokubutsu ni mizu o yaru).
This phrase is used to describe the act of pouring water on plants to keep them healthy and hydrated. You can also use the noun form 水やり (mizuyari) to refer to 'watering' as a general task or activity.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally means 'to give water to plants'.
Which one should you use?
The standard way to describe the act of watering plants is with 植物に水をやる.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In informal speech, you may see the particle を omitted, resulting in 植物に水やる or you might use the expression 植物に水あげる.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 植物に水をやる, the particle に (ni) indicates the recipient of the water, which is the plants and the particle を (o) marks the water as the direct object.
How do you pronounce it?
shokubutsu ni mizu o yaru
Did you know?
- If you use the more polite verb あげる (ageru) instead of やる (yaru) when talking about plants, you are inadvertently treating the plants with the same level of respect as a human being.
- If you are watering a bonsai tree, the timing and method of 水やり (mizuyari) are considered an art form where over-watering is viewed as a lack of respect for the plant's natural cycle.
- In Japanese culture, the act of 水やり (mizuyari) is often viewed as a form of mindfulness or a morning ritual to clear the mind, rather than just a household chore.
Examples in context
- 姉は毎日、庭の植物に水をやります。My older sister waters the plants in the garden every day.
- 近所の庭に水を遣ってやった。I watered the plants in the neighbor's garden.
- 毎朝、植物に水をやる。Maiasa, shokubutsu ni mizu o yaru.I water the plants every morning.
- 植物に水をやるのを忘れないで。Shokubutsu ni mizu o yaru no o wasurenaide.Don't forget to water the plants.
- 庭の植物に水をやる。Niwa no shokubutsu ni mizu o yaru.I water the plants in the garden.
Example conversation
Two people are talking about their weekend chores at home.
- 大翔 Hiroto週末は何をするの？Shūmatsu wa nani o suru no?What are you doing this weekend?
- 陽葵 Himari植物に水をやる予定だよ。Shokubutsu ni mizu o yaru yotei da yo.I plan to water the plants.
- 大翔 Hiroto僕も手伝おうか？Boku mo tetsudaō ka?Shall I help you too?
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう、助かるわ。Arigatō, tasukaru wa.Thank you, that would be a help.
