cultivation
/ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃn/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌkʌltɪˈveɪʃn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌkəl-tə-ˈvā-shən/ (ame, mw)
cultivation — noun
1. the work of breaking up soil and growing food plants like rice, wheat, or vegeta
the work of breaking up soil and growing food plants like rice, wheat, or vegetables on a piece of land.
Rice cultivation has shaped the terraced hillsides of northern Thailand for centuries.
cultivation of [specific crop] for agricultural context
Renata gave up her city job to learn the cultivation of organic tomatoes on her grandfather's farm.
the cultivation of + [crop] with a determiner
Heavy rain this spring delayed the cultivation of barley across the eastern fields.
The villagers brought stony hillside ground back into cultivation after twenty years of neglect.
Kabir studies the cultivation of drought-resistant maize at an agricultural college in Nairobi.
- farming
broader term covering raising animals as well as growing plants
- tillage
technical term focused on preparing soil, not the whole growing cycle
- agriculture
covers the whole industry, not a specific act of planting
文法句型
cultivation of [crop/land]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a crop, plant, or area of land. Often paired with 'of' + the specific crop or 'under cultivation' meaning land currently used for farming.
常見錯誤
2. the steady effort of building up a skill, habit, or personal quality over time s
the steady effort of building up a skill, habit, or personal quality over time so it grows stronger.
Maeve credits her success in chess to the patient cultivation of focus during her teenage years.
the cultivation of + [abstract quality]
Buddhist teachers in Bhutan emphasise the cultivation of kindness toward strangers as daily practice.
cultivation of + [virtue] in a religious or philosophical register
The school's headmistress, Dr. Élise Dupont, made the cultivation of curiosity her central mission.
Joon spent ten years on the cultivation of a calligraphy style that finally felt his own.
Government policy now supports the cultivation of digital skills in rural primary schools.
- development
neutral and general; lacks the slow, careful sense of cultivation
- fostering
stresses encouraging something to grow in someone else
- nurturing
warmer, more emotional connotation; common with children or talents
- neglect
letting a quality or skill fade through lack of effort
文法句型
cultivation of [skill/quality/habit]
用法筆記
Object is typically an abstract quality (patience, curiosity, discipline), a skill, or a habit — never a physical object. Distinguish from sense 1 by what follows 'of': a crop or land means sense 1, an inner quality means sense 2.
常見錯誤
3. the careful work of getting to know someone useful and slowly turning that conta
the careful work of getting to know someone useful and slowly turning that contact into a real friendship, often to gain a future favour.
Apinya's quiet cultivation of senior editors eventually opened doors at three major newspapers.
cultivation of + [influential people], implying strategic intent
The new ambassador devoted his first year to the cultivation of friendships within the foreign ministry.
Tamar's careful cultivation of the gallery owner finally led to her first solo exhibition.
Senator Obi is well known for the patient cultivation of donors over many quiet dinners.
Zayd believed honest work mattered more than the cultivation of useful contacts at industry events.
- courting
shares the deliberate flavour; more common with voters or sponsors
- networking
modern, less formal; emphasises a wider circle rather than one person
文法句型
cultivation of [a relationship/contact]
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 2: sense 3's object is a person or a relationship with a person, while sense 2's object is an inner quality. Carries a faint suggestion of self-interest or strategy, especially in journalism and politics.