plant

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 栽 has 10 strokes and is associated with planting and growing plants.
• Basic usage: 栽培 is read さいばい, and 盆栽, bonsai, is read ぼんさい.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The act of growing
  • 野菜を栽培している means growing vegetables.
  • Adding する to 栽培 expresses the act of cultivation.
• Bonsai as the object
  • 松の盆栽 means a pine bonsai.
  • 盆栽 refers to growing and shaping trees in small pots or to the trees grown in this way.