‘肥料’ (fèi liào) literally means ‘fat material’ — ‘肥’ (féi) originally refers to richness or fertility, and ‘料’ (liào) means ‘material’ or ‘substance’. Together, they denote any substance added to soil to supply essential nutrients (like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) that help plants grow stronger and produce better yields. It’s a general, neutral-term noun used across agriculture, gardening, and environmental science.

Fertilizers can be natural (e.g., compost, manure) or synthetic (e.g., urea, ammonium nitrate). In daily life, gardeners, farmers, and even home plant enthusiasts use this word when discussing soil health or crop care. While ‘肥料’ is the standard term, context determines whether the fertilizer is organic or chemical — the word itself doesn’t specify type unless modified (e.g., 有机肥料 ‘organic fertilizer’).