農業（のうぎょう、nougiょう）
- agriculture

The Japanese word 農業 (*nougyou*) directly translates to "agriculture" or "farming" in English. It encompasses all aspects of producing food and other products through cultivation of land, raising livestock, and related activities. This includes planting crops, harvesting, tending to animals, and managing the land for food production. It's a broad term covering the entire industry.

⚫︎ 日本農業 Translation: Japanese agriculture ⚫︎ 農業に従事する Translation: To engage in agriculture (to work in farming) ⚫︎ 農業大学 Translation: Agricultural university

You use 農業 in conversations when discussing farming, food production, agricultural policies, or any topic related to the cultivation of plants and raising of animals. It's a common and widely understood word. It can be used as a noun.

農業 is typically written using the kanji 農業. The reading in hiragana is のうぎょう. There are no other standard ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

There aren't direct, one-word synonyms for 農業 that capture the same broad scope, but here are some related terms: ⚫︎ 農作 (*nousaku*) - crops, agricultural products ⚫︎ 耕作 (*kousaku*) - cultivation, tilling ⚫︎ 畜産 (*chikusan*) - animal husbandry

There are no direct antonyms for 農業, but you could consider words related to non-agricultural activities or industries, such as: ⚫︎ 工業 (*kougyou*) - industry, manufacturing ⚫︎ 漁業 (*gyogyō*) - fishing industry

日本の農業は、高齢化と人手不足の問題に直面しています。 ・Translation: Japanese agriculture is facing problems of an aging population and labor shortages. ・Explanation: This sentence discusses the current issues within the agricultural sector in Japan.

彼は農業の専門家です。 ・Translation: He is an expert in agriculture. ・Explanation: This sentence describes someone's area of expertise.

The word 農業 is a compound word formed from two kanji: ⚫︎ 農 (*nou*) - meaning "agriculture," "farming," or "farm" ⚫︎ 業 (*gyou*) - meaning "business," "work," or "industry" Combining these kanji creates the meaning of "agricultural industry" or "farming."