1.
herbicide; weedkiller
A chemical agent used to kill or prevent the growth of unwanted plants (weeds). Available in granular and liquid forms, herbicides are widely used in agriculture, gardening, and grounds maintenance.
除草剤を撒く。
To apply herbicide.
庭の雑草に除草剤を使った。
I used herbicide on the weeds in the garden.
環境への影響を考えて、除草剤を使わずに手で草を抜いている。
Considering the environmental impact, I pull weeds by hand instead of using herbicide.
Compound of 除草 ('weeding; removing grass') and 剤 ('agent; chemical'). The suffix 剤 appears in many chemical product names: 殺虫剤 ('insecticide'), 洗剤 ('detergent'), 消毒剤 ('disinfectant').
USAGE:
- The most common verb pairing is 除草剤を撒く ('to spray/spread herbicide').
- Types include 粒状 ('granular') for preventive use and 液体 ('liquid') for killing existing weeds.
- Environmental and health concerns about herbicide use are a frequent topic in Japanese news and community discussions.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 除草剤を撒く: to spread herbicide
- 除草剤を使う: to use herbicide
- 除草剤散布: herbicide application
- 除草剤なし: without herbicide; herbicide-free
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 農薬: agricultural chemical; pesticide — the umbrella term that includes herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides
- 殺虫剤: insecticide — kills insects rather than plants
- 除草: weeding — the act of removing weeds, not necessarily with chemicals