harvesting
/ˈhɑː.vɪst.ɪŋ/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhɑːr.vəst.ɪŋ/ (ame, ipa)
harvesting — noun
1. the work of gathering crops such as grain, fruit, or vegetables at the time they
the work of gathering crops such as grain, fruit, or vegetables at the time they are ready to be used as food
Every September, the rice harvesting in Jiangxi province employs hundreds of local workers.
noun phrase: location + harvesting + time phrase
Olga's family hired extra workers for the apple harvesting in their large orchard.
Sustainable fish harvesting methods help protect ocean life for future generations.
After the wheat harvesting finished, Diego prepared his tools for the next season.
- gathering
more general; can apply to non-agricultural items such as flowers or firewood
- collecting
less specific to crops; suggests picking things up rather than cutting or pulling
- reaping
archaic or literary; specifically refers to cutting grain crops with a scythe or machine
文法句型
harvesting of + [crop type]
harvesting + noun modifier
用法筆記
Often used with a crop name before it (rice harvesting, wheat harvesting) or with 'of' after it (harvesting of corn). Usually uncountable — you would not speak of 'a harvesting'.
常見錯誤
2. the process of removing a useful natural material such as water, energy, or a mi
the process of removing a useful natural material such as water, energy, or a mineral from its source so that people can use it
Rainwater harvesting helps communities save water during the dry summer months.
compound noun: Rainwater harvesting
The factory now uses solar energy harvesting to power most of its machines.
Elena studied the harvesting of salt from seawater along the Mediterranean coast.
Fog harvesting nets on the hilltops collect enough water for fifty families each day.
- collection
more general; does not imply active extraction from a natural source
- extraction
suggests removing a substance from underground or from inside something, often with more force
文法句型
harvesting of + [resource]
[resource] harvesting
用法筆記
Frequently used as the second part of a compound noun (rainwater harvesting, solar energy harvesting, fog harvesting). The 'of' structure (harvesting of salt) sounds slightly more formal.
3. the process of removing cells, tissues, or organs from a person's body for use i
the process of removing cells, tissues, or organs from a person's body for use in medical treatment or scientific research
The bone marrow harvesting took place early in the morning at the university hospital.
compound noun: bone marrow harvesting
Doctors explained the egg harvesting procedure to Wei before she made her decision.
Stem cell harvesting from umbilical cord blood can save lives of children with blood diseases.
New rules control the harvesting of organs so all steps are fair and legal.
- removal
broader and less specific; does not imply the material will be used for a purpose
- extraction
suggests pulling something out, often with instruments; more technical and less common in patient conversations
文法句型
harvesting of + [body part]
[body part] harvesting
用法筆記
Often appears as the first part of a compound noun (harvesting procedure, harvesting technique) or the second part (organ harvesting, tissue harvesting). In medical contexts the word is neutral; in ethical debates it carries a serious tone.
常見錯誤
4. the process of gathering large amounts of information from many places, often us
the process of gathering large amounts of information from many places, often using computer programs
Web harvesting tools collect product prices from hundreds of online stores every hour.
compound noun: Web harvesting + purpose clause
Kenji's team worked on data harvesting from public records for the city planning project.
Automated news harvesting brings articles from different sources into a single reading app.
The company faced criticism for its harvesting of personal information without asking users first.
- scraping
more technical; specifically refers to extracting data from websites automatically
- mining
suggests deeper analysis of data to find patterns, not just collection
- collection
more general; can be done by hand or on a small scale
文法句型
[type] harvesting
harvesting of + [data type]
用法筆記
Common in computing and data-science contexts. When used to describe collecting personal data without permission, the word carries a negative connotation. 'Web scraping' is a more technical synonym.
常見錯誤
5. the act of obtaining a benefit, reward, or useful result from a situation or eve
the act of obtaining a benefit, reward, or useful result from a situation or event
The harvesting of new ideas from failed experiments is a key skill in scientific research.
harvesting of + abstract noun + prepositional phrase
Amara's team focused on the harvesting of useful feedback from customer reviews.
Political parties often engage in the harvesting of public support during election years.
By investing early, Theo hoped to benefit from the harvesting of long-term financial rewards.
- losing
the opposite outcome; missing out on an available benefit
文法句型
harvesting of + [benefit]
harvesting + [from noun]
用法筆記
More metaphorical than the other senses. The 'harvesting' image suggests that effort was invested earlier and the result is now ready to be collected. Common in business, politics, and academic writing.