How to say "biennial" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- 二年草にねんそうnounThe botanical sense: a plant that lives through two years, producing leaves the first season and flowers the second before dying. This is the direct word for 'biennial plant' in gardening and botany.
- 二箇年にかねんprenominal modifierThe temporal sense: a two-year span, as with a plan or budget running two years. It does not express the 'every two years' recurrence sense, and it is a less common word.
- 越年生植物えつねんせいしょくぶつnounA botanical term for plants that live through the winter before flowering; it takes in winter annuals as well as true biennials, so it is broader than 'biennial' and suits botanical writing.
- 越年草えつねんそうnounA shorter overwintering term: plants that survive the winter and flower the following year. It covers winter annuals as well as biennials, so it is broader than 二年草 and fits gardening contexts.
- ２年生にねんせいnounAn abbreviated label for biennial plants in gardening contexts, as on seed packets; on its own, though, it ordinarily reads as 'second-year student', so the botanical sense needs clear context.
For the plant itself choose 二年草; 越年草 and 越年生植物 stress overwintering and also cover winter annuals; 二箇年 expresses a two-year span; ２年生 works as a gardening label for biennials.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
