Vocabulary

Japanese Food Vocabulary: 80 Essential Words and Phrases

March 13, 20269 min read

Japanese food culture is one of the deepest in the world — Tokyo alone has more Michelin-starred restaurants than any other city on Earth. Whether you are navigating an izakaya menu, ordering at a ramen counter, or cooking Japanese food at home, knowing the right vocabulary transforms the experience. This guide covers the 80 most essential food words, organised for practical use.

Basic Food Words (基本的な食べ物)

ご飯 (ごはん) — cooked rice; also the word for "meal" generally
パン — bread (from Portuguese "pão")
肉 (にく) — meat
魚 (さかな) — fish
野菜 (やさい) — vegetables
果物 (くだもの) — fruit
卵 (たまご) — egg
豆腐 (とうふ) — tofu
麺 (めん) — noodles (general)
スープ — soup (Western style); お汁 (おしる) or 汁物 (しるもの) for Japanese soup

Iconic Japanese Foods

寿司 (すし)Sushi — vinegared rice with fish, seafood, or vegetables. 握り寿司 (nigiri) = hand-pressed. 巻き寿司 (maki) = rolled.

ラーメンRamen — wheat noodles in broth. Styles: 醤油 (shōyu/soy), 塩 (shio/salt), 味噌 (miso), 豚骨 (tonkotsu/pork bone).

天ぷら (てんぷら)Tempura — seafood and vegetables battered and deep-fried. Introduced to Japan by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century.

刺身 (さしみ)Sashimi — raw fish or seafood sliced and served without rice. Distinct from sushi.

すき焼きSukiyaki — thin beef slices simmered with vegetables in a sweet soy-based broth, eaten from a hot pot at the table.

焼き鳥 (やきとり)Yakitori — skewered chicken grilled over charcoal, seasoned with tare (タレ, sauce) or shio (塩, salt).

おにぎりOnigiri — rice balls, typically triangular, filled with pickled plum (梅), tuna-mayo (ツナマヨ), or salmon (鮭).

味噌汁 (みそしる)Miso soup — dashi broth with dissolved miso paste, tofu, and wakame seaweed. A staple of Japanese breakfast.

Restaurant Vocabulary (レストランの言葉)

メニューメニューMenu

注文 (ちゅうもん)ちゅうもんOrder (noun/verb: 注文する = to order)

定食 (ていしょく)ていしょくSet meal — usually a main dish + rice + miso soup + pickles

おすすめおすすめRecommendation / today's special

お会計をお願いします。おかいけいをおねがいします。The bill, please.

おかわりをいただけますか？おかわりをいただけますか？Could I have a refill?

Cooking Methods (調理方法)

焼く (やく) — to grill / bake / fry (on a dry surface)
煮る (にる) — to simmer / boil (in liquid)
蒸す (むす) — to steam
炒める (いためる) — to stir-fry
揚げる (あげる) — to deep-fry
生 (なま) — raw
冷たい (つめたい) — cold (food/drink)
温かい (あたたかい) — warm
熱い (あつい) — hot (temperature)

冷やし中華は、冷たい麺を使った夏の料理です。ひやしちゅうかは、つめたいめんをつかったなつのりょうりです。Hiyashi chūka is a summer dish using cold noodles.

Taste Words (味の言葉)

甘い (あまい) — sweet
辛い (からい) — spicy / hot (not temperature)
しょっぱい / 塩辛い — salty
すっぱい (酸っぱい) — sour
苦い (にがい) — bitter
うまい / 美味しい (おいしい) — delicious (うまい is casual; 美味しい is standard)
濃い (こい) — rich / strong in flavour
あっさり — light / mild in flavour

Ordering Phrases

これをひとつください。これをひとつください。One of this, please.

ラーメンを二つお願いします。ラーメンをふたつおねがいします。Two ramen, please.

辛さは控えめにしてください。からさはひかえめにしてください。Please make it less spicy.

いただきます。いただきます。Said before eating (I humbly receive this meal).

ごちそうさまでした。ごちそうさまでした。Said after eating (that was a feast / thank you for the meal).

Food Allergy Phrases

卵アレルギーがあります。たまごアレルギーがあります。I have an egg allergy.

小麦が食べられません。こむぎがたべられません。I cannot eat wheat.

えびは入っていますか？えびははいっていますか？Does this contain shrimp?

ベジタリアンです。肉は食べられません。ベジタリアンです。にくはたべられません。I am vegetarian. I cannot eat meat.

Practice Japanese food vocabulary in sentences

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Frequently Asked Questions

How do you order food in Japanese?

The two most useful ordering phrases are: これをください (kore o kudasai — "I will have this", pointing at a menu) and ～をひとつお願いします (~ o hitotsu onegaishimasu — "one ~ please"). Call the waiter with すみません (sumimasen). Ask for the bill with お会計をお願いします (okaikei o onegaishimasu).

What is the difference between 和食, 洋食, and 中華?

和食 (washoku) is traditional Japanese cuisine — rice, miso soup, grilled fish, pickles. 洋食 (yōshoku) is Western-style food adapted for Japanese tastes — things like omurice (オムライス), hambāgu (ハンバーグ), and curry rice (カレーライス). 中華 (chūka) is Japanese-Chinese food: ramen, gyōza, chāhan (fried rice).

How do you say you have a food allergy in Japanese?

Say: ～アレルギーがあります (~ arerugi ga arimasu — "I have a ~ allergy"). For common allergens: 卵 (tamago — egg), 乳製品 (nyūseihin — dairy), 小麦 (komugi — wheat/gluten), 大豆 (daizu — soy), 落花生/ピーナッツ (piinattsu — peanuts), えび (ebi — shrimp), かに (kani — crab). Show a written card in Japanese if possible.

What does いただきます mean?

いただきます (itadakimasu) is said before eating and roughly means "I humbly receive." It is a mark of gratitude for the food, the people who prepared it, and all living things that gave their lives. ごちそうさまでした (gochisōsama deshita) is said after finishing a meal, thanking the host or cook.