JLPT · Level 63
45 words
Japanese word
原っぱ
Pronunciation
Romajiharappa
Meaning
- nounopen field
Example
子どもたちは原っぱで遊びます。ko do mo ta chi wa hara ppa de aso bi ma su
The children play in the open field.
More examples
夕方になると、子どもたちは原っぱを走り回ります。yū gata ni na ru to ko do mo ta chi wa hara ppa o hashi ri mawa ri ma su
In the evening, the children run around the open field.
Core concept
Refers to a broad, usually grassy area left open for people, animals, or play rather than built up.
Common phrases
原っぱで遊ぶhara ppa de aso bu
play in an open field
Similar words
野原nohara: A grassy area in the countryside or near a settlement that has not been built on.
草原sōgen: An extensive natural area dominated by grass rather than trees or buildings.
空き地akichi: A vacant plot in a developed area that has not been built on or put to use.
Definition in Japanese
建物などがなく、草などの生えた広い土地。tate mono na do ga na ku kusa na do no ha e ta hiro i to chi
Word origin
原っぱ (harappa) is a native Japanese formation combining 原 (hara, "open land") with the colloquial suffix っぱ (ppa), which gives the noun a familiar tone.
Usage tips
- English learners may associate open field with farmland, but 原っぱ (harappa) often means a simple grassy space where children can play, while an empty lot is usually an unused plot in a built-up area.
Other meanings
- empty lotnoun