Japanese Food – Word List and Vocabulary

Today you will learn how to pronounce food and write fruits, vegetables, meats, drinks, food and sweets in Japanese[日本語]. In this organized list you will learn several words and increase your vocabulary.

The Japanese language is quite complex, and he borrows several words from other languages and writes it using katakana (writing used for foreign words). We recommend having some knowledge of the language.

Kudamono[果物] – Japanese Fruits

Japanese	Romanization	Translation
り ん ご	ringo	Apple
ぶ ど う	budou	grape
な し	nashi	Japanese pear
よ う な し	younashi	Wait
か き	kaki	persimmon
オ レ ン ジ	orenji	orange
レ モ ン	Remon	lemon
ラ イ ム	raimu	lime
グ レ ー プ フ ル ー ツ	gureepufuruutsu	grapefruit
バ ナ ナ	banana	banana
い ち ご	ichigo	Strawberry
ブ ル ー ベ リ ー	buruuberii	blueberry
さ く ら ん ぼ	sakuranbo	cherry
メ ロ ン	meron	green melon (honeydew)
す い か	Suika	watermelon

Trivia: Japanese apples are much larger than Western apples, while watermelons are quite small.

Yasai [やさい]- Vegetables in Japanese

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
に ん じ ん	ninjin	carrots
セ ロ リ	serori	celery
レ タ ス	Retasu	lettuce
キ ャ ベ ツ	kyabetsu	cabbage
ト マ ト	tomato	tomato
ね ぎ	negi	green onion (chives)
た ま ね ぎ	Tamanegi	(Round) onion
ポ テ ト	Poteto	potatoes
ブ ロ ッ コ リ ー	burokkorii	broccoli
ピ ー マ ン	piiman	chili, green pepper
ま め	mom	beans (in general)
ピ ー ス	piisu	peas
コ ー ン	koon	corn

Japanese cuisine uses a lot of vegetables, including many that are unknown in the West. An example of a Japanese vegetable is daikon, which is a giant white radish.

Japanese meat and fish

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
牛肉	gyuuniku	beef
豚 肉	butaniku	pork
ハ ム	hamu	Ham
鶏 肉	toriniku	chicken
卵	tamago	egg
魚	sakana	fish
エ ビ	ebi	shrimp, shrimp, lobster
カ ニ	kani	crab
た こ	tako	octopus

Tori “bird” is used to refer to chicken in the context of food products, since turkey and other birds are rare to find in Japan. Likewise, niku “meat” without other specifications generally refers to beef, although butaniku (pork) is cheaper and consumed in greater quantities.

Nyuuseihi[乳製品]n – Japanese dairy products

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
牛乳	gyuunyuu	milk
ミ ル ク	miruku	milk
チ ー ズ	chiizu	cheese
ヨ ー グ ル ト	yooguruto	yogurt
ア イ ス ク リ ー ム	aisukuriimu	ice cream

Dairy products are not used in traditional Japanese cuisine, but they can still be found in Japanese supermarkets and Western foods. Both gyuunyuu and miruku are common words for milk.

GRAINS AND Pasta in Japanese

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
米	kome	rice (uncooked)
ご 飯	gohan	cooked rice)
玄 米	genmai	brown rice
う ど ん	udon	Wheat noodles
そ う め ん	soumen	Thin noodles (noodles)
そ ば	under the	Buckwheat noodles
ラ ー メ ン	Raamen	ramen (chinese noodles)
パ ン	Pan	bread, rolls, pies
菓子 パ ン	kashipan	sweet bread, cakes
ピ ザ	pizza	Pizza

Other observations:

Japanese rice is short-grain, unlike long-grain rice normally used in the West. Short grain rice is a little sticky and clumps together, making it easier to eat with chopsticks, but it is not papulous.

Japanese noodles – especially somen and soba, can be served hot or in a cold soup with a sauce. Macaroni is a popular dish of Japanese cuisine.

The real ramen is a style of Chinese noodle soup, which became popular in Japan and has a huge reputation. Pan in Japanese can refer to any type of bread or pasta.

Nomimono[飲み物] – Drinks in Japanese

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
水	mizu	Water
お 茶	the tea	green tea, tea in general
日本 茶	nihoncha	Japanese green tea
麦 茶	mugu	Japanese iced barley tea
紅茶	koucha	black tea (lit. “crimson tea”)
コ ー ヒ ー	koohii	coffee
ジ ュ ー ス	juusu	juice
オ レ ン ジ ジ ュ ー ス	orenjijuusu	Orange juice
レ モ ネ ー ド	remoneedo	Lemonade
ソ ー ダ	sooda	soda pop
お 酒	Osake	sake (rice) and alcohol in general
日本 酒	nihonshu	Japanese Sake
ワ イ ン	Wain	wine
ビ ー ル	biiru	beer

Japanese Seasonings and Condiments

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
醤 油	Shouyu	soy sauce
油	abura	oil
酢	su	vinegar
味 醂	mirin	cooking rice wine
塩	shio	salt
コ シ ョ ウ	Koshou	chili
砂糖	satou	sugar
わ さ び	wasabi	wasabi (Japanese “horseradish”)
ご ま	Gum	sesame seeds
バ タ ー	beat	butter
ケ チ ャ ッ プ	kechappu	ketchup

The real wasabi is a grated root. The green paste found outside Japan is a cheaper substitute made from horseradish and mustard, two spicy plants. Also read our article on Japanese spices.

Washoku[和食] – Japanese food in nihongo

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
寿司	Sushi	rice wrapped in seaweed
刺身	Sashimi	sliced raw fish
天 ぷ ら	tenpura	breaded and fried vegetables and seafood
焼 き 鳥	yakitori	chicken in stick
焼 肉	yakiniku	Japanese barbecue
焼 き 魚	yakizakana	grilled fish
焼 き そ ば	yakisoba	fried noodles with vegetables and meat
す き 焼 き	Sukiyaki	traditional japanese stew
お 好 み 焼 き	okonomiyaki	japanese pancake
と ん か つ	tonkatsu	fried pork chop
カ レ ー	karee	curry usually served with rice
コ ロ ッ ケ	kurokke	fried kibble, usually puree potato
餃子	Gyouza	Chinese pastry
味噌 汁	misoshiru	miso soup (soy based)
漬 物	tsukemono	Japanese pickle salad

Yaki[焼き] can mean fried, grilled, roasted and the like. The word comes from the verb [焼く]yaku which means to fry, grill and roast. Although not strictly native to Japan, Japanese curry is totally different from Indian curry.

Youshoku[養殖] – Western food in Japanese

Kana	Romaji	Translation
ス ー プ	suupu	soup (any type)
サ ラ ダ	healed	salad
サ ン ド イ ッ チ	sandoitchi	sandwich
ハ ン バ ー ガ ー	hanbaagaa	hamburger
ホ ッ ト ド ッ グ	hottodoggu	hot dog
フ ラ イ ド ポ テ ト	furaidopoteto	french fries, french fries
フ ラ イ ド チ キ ン	furaidochikin	fried chicken
ス テ ー キ	suteeki	steak
ス パ ゲ ッ テ ィ ー	supgettii	spaghetti

Note that despite similar names, Japanese versions of Western foods are usually adapted to Japanese tastes. We recommend reading our article on popular Japanese foods.

Japanese Snacks and Sweets

Japanese	Romaji	Translation
チ ッ プ	chippu	chips
ポ ッ プ コ ー ン	poppukoon	popcorn
ク ッ キ ー	kukkii	cookies
ケ ー キ	keeki	cake
パ イ	dad	pie
ア イ ス ク リ ー ム	aisukuriimu	ice cream
チ ョ コ レ ー ト	chokoreeto	chocolate
ゼ リ ー	zerii	jelly (gelatin and similar desserts)
わ が し	wagashi	traditional Japanese sweets (many are cookies)

Dessert is not traditionally served after meals in Japan (except fresh fruit), but sweet foods are eaten as snacks or the whole time lol.

I hope you enjoyed the article. We thank Japaneseprofessor for sharing some information from the article. I hope you enjoyed the article. If you liked it, share and leave your comments.