Meaning and Usage
「農薬」(のうやく) refers to chemicals used in agriculture to protect crops from pests, diseases, and weeds. It is a common term in discussions about farming, food safety, and environmental issues.
Common Contexts
You will often hear 「農薬」 in contexts related to farming practices, environmental impact, and food production. For example, discussions about organic farming often mention avoiding or minimizing the use of 農薬.
Collocations and Patterns
- 農薬を使う: to use agricultural chemicals
- 農薬を控える: to refrain from using agricultural chemicals
- 農薬の影響: the impact of agricultural chemicals
These collocations help express actions or effects related to 農薬.
Register and Nuance
The word is neutral and commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when talking about agriculture or environmental topics. It is not a casual word but is widely understood.
Common Mistakes
Learners sometimes confuse 農薬 with 化学薬品 (chemical drugs/chemicals) in general. 農薬 specifically refers to agricultural chemicals used on crops, not medicines or other chemicals.