Meaning and Usage
"果実" (かじつ) specifically refers to the fruit of plants, often emphasizing the natural, edible part that develops from a flower. It is a more formal or scientific term compared to the casual "フルーツ" (fruit in katakana).
Common Contexts
You will often see "果実" used in contexts related to agriculture, cooking, or scientific descriptions of plants. For example, when talking about the ripening process, harvesting, or making products like fruit wine (果実酒).
Collocations and Patterns
- 果実が熟す (かじつがじゅくす): the fruit ripens
- 果実を収穫する (かじつをしゅうかくする): to harvest fruit
- 果実酒 (かじつしゅ): fruit wine
Register and Nuance
"果実" is generally neutral to formal and is suitable for written language, scientific contexts, or polite conversation. In casual speech, people often use "フルーツ" instead.
Common Learner Mistake
Learners sometimes confuse "果実" with "果物" (くだもの), which also means fruit but is more common in everyday conversation. "果実" can imply the fruit as a natural product or ingredient, while "果物" is more about the fruit as food or snack. Use "果実" when focusing on the fruit in a botanical or culinary production context.