I thought bonsai was a type of tree (pretty sure it is), but my dad says its a style of cutting the tree. I see why he thinks this but wouldn't it be called the bonsai cut? I need an expert for this "argument" because google is unreliable.

Many trees and shrubs can be made into a bonsai.
An ornamental tree or shrub grown in a pot and artificially prevented from reaching its normal size.
the art of growing ornamental, artificially dwarfed trees or shrubs.

Your dad is correct. Almost any type of tree or shrub can be trained to be a bonsai. Many of the ones sold on Ebay and Etsy are not really Bonsai. They just trim up a plant and fake it up.

These are some tips for bonsai care maybe it will help you....

Positioning: Your bonsai should be kept away from direct heat or draft.
Lighting: Keep your bonsai in area with plenty of sunlight.
Humidity: Bonsais need humidity in order to keep their soil moist

Bonsai is Japanese for 'tray tree' and they can be almost any kind of plant. So yes, your dad is right ( don't you just hate that?!?).

Jasberry said:I thought bonsai was a type of tree (pretty sure it is), but my dad says its a style of cutting the tree. I see why he thinks this but wouldn't it be called the bonsai cut? I need an expert for this "argument" because google is unreliable.

Many trees and shrubs can be made into a bonsai. but soon give you some link which helpful for you..

Bonsai is an interesting form of art / gardening. Having watched many videos on You Tube lately it has a certain fascination. Some take many years to fully develop and it seems that many are outdoor bonsai. I can understand the attraction to it. I can't speak for any particular You Tube content provider, but I can suggest that watching a few is time reasonably well spent if you have an interest.

helo all i am new here

Bonsai is an artistic gardening style, not a plant name.
Bonsai is a Japanese word. It can be used as a verb (cutting and training a plant), a noun (Any plant trained in this style) and an adjective (describing a plant based on shape pot and size)
but never a genus or species.

Bonsai is the human influence to miniaturize what we see and love in nature and attempt to reproduce with intense scrutiny and care for a living plant.
What did google tell you?

Please don't be embarrassed that the word is flighty or uninterested in things with thousands of years of history that still exist today.

I am thrilled that you asked. I hope the lesson was that maybe your dad knows something and he would never try to embarrass you on purpose, either by showing you-up knowing more than you do, or running his mouth about something that isn't true.

Your dads not gonna be perfect on a lot of things,. Neither of you will be perfect on anything.. neither of you know everything. try to be nice to each other

Bonsai is a style of miniaturing plants. Many sold as "bonsai" are just tree seedlings.
One thing a lot of people forget is that trees need to be grown outdoors. They are not houseplants.

Bonsai, as English speakers borrow the foreign word, is a noun, a verb and an adjective. You can describe a gardening design, a plant you work on or an activity you engage in.
I would love to have a native Japanese language speaker explain how to be more culturally informed, if only to congugate the word correctly.