Japanese Food & Drinks
Master Culinary Vocabulary with Cultural Context
Table of Contents
1. Overview & Food Culture
Japanese cuisine (日本料理) is based on rice, miso soup, and seasonal ingredients
Food vocabulary combines native Japanese words with borrowed terms from other languages
Japanese Food Culture (食文化)
Seasonality (季節): Japanese cuisine emphasizes seasonal ingredients and presentation
Umami (うまみ): The fifth taste, discovered by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda
Presentation (盛り付け): Visual appeal is as important as taste
Balance (バランス): Meals balance flavors, textures, and nutritional elements
Respect (いただきます): Gratitude is expressed before and after meals
2. Basic Foods (基本の食べ物)
Rice
Raw Rice
Cooked Rice
Bread
Hiragana
Katakana (Standard)
Noodles
General Term
Noodles
Egg
Hiragana
Katakana
Milk
Hiragana
Casual
Butter
Hiragana
Katakana (Standard)
3. Traditional Japanese Dishes
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sushi | 寿司 | すし | sushi | Vinegared rice with various toppings |
| Ramen | 拉麺 | らーめん | raamen | Chinese-style noodle soup |
| Tempura | 天ぷら | てんぷら | tempura | Lightly battered and fried seafood/vegetables |
| Udon | 饂飩 | うどん | udon | Thick wheat flour noodles |
| Soba | 蕎麦 | そば | soba | Buckwheat noodles |
| Miso Soup | 味噌汁 | みそしる | misoshiru | Fermented soybean paste soup |
| Yakitori | 焼き鳥 | やきとり | yakitori | Grilled chicken skewers |
| Curry Rice | カレーライス | かれーらいす | karee raisu | Japanese-style curry with rice |
Dish Origins
Native Dishes: Sushi, tempura, miso soup represent traditional Japanese cooking
Adapted Dishes: Ramen (from China), curry rice (from India via Britain)
Regional Variations: Each region has unique preparation styles and ingredients
4. Drinks (飲み物)
Water
Plain Water
Hot Water
Tea
Japanese Tea
Black Tea
Coffee
Hiragana
Katakana (Standard)
Sake
Japanese Rice Wine
Polite
Other Popular Drinks
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer | ビール | biiru | Very popular in Japan |
| Juice | ジュース | juusu | Fruit juice |
| Cola | コーラ | koora | Soft drink |
| Green Tea | 緑茶 | ryokucha | Most common tea |
| Oolong Tea | 烏龍茶 | uuroncha | Chinese-style tea |
5. Vegetables (野菜)
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabbage | キャベツ | きゃべつ | kyabetsu |
| Carrot | 人参 | にんじん | ninjin |
| Onion | 玉葱 | たまねぎ | tamanegi |
| Potato | じゃが芋 | じゃがいも | jagaimo |
| Tomato | トマト | とまと | tomato |
| Lettuce | レタス | れたす | retasu |
| Cucumber | 胡瓜 | きゅうり | kyuuri |
| Broccoli | ブロッコリー | ぶろっこりー | burokkorii |
6. Fruits (果物)
Apple
Hiragana
Alternative
Orange
Japanese Orange
Western Orange
Banana
Hiragana
Katakana (Standard)
Strawberry
Hiragana
Alternative
More Fruits
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Seasonal Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherry | 桜んぼ / チェリー | sakuranbo / cherii | Spring fruit |
| Grape | 葡萄 | budou | Autumn harvest |
| Peach | 桃 | momo | Summer fruit |
| Pear | 梨 | nashi | Asian pear variety |
| Watermelon | 西瓜 | suika | Summer staple |
7. Meat & Fish (肉と魚)
Meat (肉)
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beef | 牛肉 | ぎゅうにく | gyuuniku |
| Pork | 豚肉 | ぶたにく | butaniku |
| Chicken | 鶏肉 | とりにく | toriniku |
| Lamb | 羊肉 | ようにく | youniku |
Seafood (海産物)
| English | Kanji | Hiragana | Romaji |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuna | 鮪 | まぐろ | maguro |
| Salmon | 鮭 | さけ / しゃけ | sake / shake |
| Mackerel | 鯖 | さば | saba |
| Shrimp | 海老 | えび | ebi |
| Crab | 蟹 | かに | kani |
Fish Culture in Japan
Freshness: Fish is often eaten raw, so freshness is paramount
Seasonal Fish: Different fish are preferred in different seasons
Preparation: Multiple ways to prepare the same fish (raw, grilled, fried)
Whole Fish: Fish is often served with head and bones intact
8. Cooking Methods
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grilled | 焼き | yaki | Direct heat cooking |
| Fried | 揚げ | age | Deep fried |
| Steamed | 蒸し | mushi | Steam cooking |
| Boiled | 茹で | yude | Boiled in water |
| Simmered | 煮物 | nimono | Slow cooked in broth |
| Raw | 生 | nama | Uncooked |
9. Restaurant Vocabulary
Essential Restaurant Phrases
Entering:
いらっしゃいませ！
Welcome! (said by staff)
Ordering:
これを ください。
I’ll have this, please.
Asking for the bill:
お会計を お願いします。
The bill, please.
Menu Items & Restaurant Terms
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu | メニュー | menyuu | Restaurant menu |
| Set meal | 定食 | teishoku | Complete meal set |
| Special | 本日のおすすめ | honjitsu no osusume | Today’s recommendation |
| Appetizer | 前菜 | zensai | Starter course |
| Main dish | 主菜 | shusai | Main course |
| Dessert | デザート | dezaato | Sweet course |
10. Taste & Flavors
Basic Tastes
Sweet
Salty
Sour
Bitter
Spicy
Umami
Food Descriptions
| English | Japanese | Romaji | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delicious | おいしい | oishii | Most common praise |
| Tasty | うまい | umai | Casual, masculine |
| Hot (temperature) | 熱い | atsui | Temperature hot |
| Cold | 冷たい | tsumetai | Cold to touch |
| Fresh | 新鮮 | shinsen | Fresh ingredients |
| Mild | やさしい味 | yasashii aji | Gentle flavor |
Japanese Taste Philosophy
Balance (調和): Japanese cuisine seeks harmony between different tastes
Umami Discovery: Japan identified umami as the fifth basic taste
Seasonal Flavors: Tastes change with seasons and ingredients
Subtle Complexity: Preference for subtle, complex flavors over bold ones
Culinary Journey Complete!
You’ve mastered essential Japanese food and drink vocabulary! Now you can navigate menus, order with confidence, and appreciate the rich culinary culture of Japan.
Food & Drinks Quiz
Test Your Knowledge of Japanese Culinary Vocabulary
Exercise 1: Basic Food
What is the Japanese word for cooked rice?
Explanation: ごはん means cooked rice, while こめ is raw rice and パン is bread.
Exercise 2: Traditional Dishes
What does 寿司 mean?
Explanation: 寿司 (すし – sushi) is vinegared rice with various toppings, one of Japan’s most famous dishes.
Exercise 3: Drinks
How do you say “green tea” in Japanese?
Explanation: 緑茶 (ryokucha) means green tea. こうちゃ is black tea, コーヒー is coffee.
Exercise 4: Meat Types
What is ぎゅうにく?
Explanation: ぎゅうにく (牛肉) means beef. ぶたにく is pork, とりにく is chicken.
Exercise 5: Taste Description
How do you say “delicious” in Japanese?
Explanation: おいしい means delicious. からい means spicy, あまい means sweet.
Exercise 6: Seafood
What fish is 鮪 (まぐろ)?
Explanation: 鮪 (まぐろ – maguro) is tuna, essential for sushi and sashimi.
Exercise 7: Vegetables
How do you say “carrot” in Japanese?
Explanation: 人参 (ninjin) means carrot. たまねぎ is onion, じゃがいも is potato.
Exercise 8: Fruits
What does りんご mean?
Explanation: りんご (林檎) means apple, a popular fruit in Japan especially in autumn.
Exercise 9: Noodle Types
Which noodles are made from buckwheat?
Explanation: 蕎麦 (soba) are buckwheat noodles. うどん are thick wheat noodles, らーめん are Chinese-style noodles.
Exercise 10: Cooking Methods
What cooking method is やき?
Explanation: やき (焼き) means grilled or baked. 蒸し is steamed, 揚げ is fried.
Exercise 11: Restaurant Phrases
What do you say before eating in Japan?
Explanation: いただきます is said before eating to show gratitude. ごちそうさまでした is said after eating.
Exercise 12: Alcoholic Drinks
What is Japanese rice wine called?
Explanation: さけ (酒) is Japanese rice wine. ビール is beer, ワイン is wine.
Exercise 13: Fifth Taste
What is the Japanese word for the fifth taste?
Explanation: うまみ (umami) is the fifth taste, meaning savory, discovered by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda.
Exercise 14: Breakfast Items
How do you say “egg” in Japanese?
Explanation: たまご (卵) means egg. ぎゅうにゅう is milk, バター is butter.
Exercise 15: Meal Sets
What is a complete meal set called in Japanese restaurants?
Explanation: 定食 (teishoku) is a set meal with rice, miso soup, main dish, and pickles. メニュー is menu, デザート is dessert.
How did you do?
Check your answers by selecting options above. Each correct answer will show in purple!
