(にわ)

にわ
noun
garden, yard
1. garden
A piece of ground used for growing plants.
(にわ)(はな)()える。
To plant flowers in the garden.
(にわ)()(おお)きくなった。
The tree in the garden has gotten big.
毎朝(まいあさ)(にわ)(はな)(みず)をやるのが日課(にっか)になっている。
Watering the flowers in the garden every morning has become my daily routine.
祖父(そふ)(にわ)野菜(やさい)(そだ)てるのが()きで、毎日(まいにち)手入(てい)れをしている。
My grandfather likes growing vegetables in the garden and tends to it every day.
この旅館(りょかん)日本庭園(にほんていえん)(ひゃく)(ねん)以上(いじょう)歴史(れきし)があり、四季(しき)おりおりの(うつく)しさで()られている。
This inn's Japanese garden has over a hundred years of history and is known for its beauty in every season.
2. yard
The area of ground around a house.
(にわ)(あそ)ぶ。
To play in the yard.
(ひろ)(にわ)のある(いえ)()みたい。
I want to live in a house with a big yard.
()どもたちが(にわ)(はし)(まわ)って(あそ)んでいる。
The children are running around playing in the yard.
天気(てんき)がいい()(にわ)にテーブルを()して、(そと)食事(しょくじ)をすることがある。
On nice days, we sometimes set up a table in the yard and eat outside.
()()した(いえ)には(ひろ)(にわ)があったので、(いぬ)()(はじ)めて毎日(まいにち)一緒(いっしょ)(にわ)(あそ)んでいる。
The house we moved into had a big yard, so we got a dog and play in the yard together every day.

(にわ) refers to both cultivated gardens and general yard/outdoor space around a house.

SCOPE:
Unlike English, (にわ) covers both "garden" (planted area) and "yard" (general outdoor space). Context determines which meaning applies.

JAPANESE GARDENS:

  • 日本庭園(にほんていえん): Japanese-style garden
  • 枯山水(かれさんすい): dry landscape garden (rocks and gravel)
  • 茶庭(ちゃにわ): tea ceremony garden

COMMON COMPOUNDS:

  • 庭師(にわし): gardener
  • 中庭(なかにわ): courtyard, inner garden
  • 庭先(にわさき): front of the garden/yard
  • 裏庭(うらにわ): backyard

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • (にわ)手入(てい)れをする: to maintain the garden
  • (にわ)(はな)()える: to plant flowers in the garden