The Meaning of mame [豆] In Japanese

豆
まめ
Romaji: mame N5

What does 豆 mean?

Translation and Meaning

bean, legume, pea, small seed

Definition

豆 (mame) means a bean or seed from leguminous plants commonly used as food and ingredients in Japanese cuisine; it refers broadly to edible seeds like soybeans, adzuki and green soybeans and the culinary products made from them.

Type

noun (名詞), and na-adjective when used as an adjectival form (形容動詞 / な形容詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • 1. Used figuratively to describe something very small or tiny in size, akin to ‘a speck’ or ‘a pebble-sized thing’.
  • 2. As an adjectival notion (written in kana), it conveys being diligent, attentive, or hardworking when describing a person.
  • 3. Appears in compound words to indicate legume-based products or small portions and to create idiomatic expressions and set phrases.
  • 4. Can imply a modest amount or minor importance in casual speech.

Origin

Beans have been cultivated in the Japanese archipelago since prehistoric agriculture; archaeobotanical evidence shows leguminous seeds used for food and ritual from the Jōmon and Yayoi periods onward, later becoming central to diet, seasoning and seasonal customs such as bean-throwing rituals tied to Setsubun.

Composition

豆 (mame) is a single-kanji character historically representing a container or mortar with seeds; strokes suggest a vessel and the contents (seeds/beans), the pictographic composition conveying the idea of small seeds held together.

Usage

Used as a noun in culinary and agricultural contexts to name specific seeds and dishes, as a component in compound nouns for foods and products, and—often written in kana—as an adjectival descriptor for a person’s careful or industrious character; register ranges from informal (everyday speech, menus, markets) to neutral/formal (food writing, recipes, academic texts) depending on context.
💡 Tips
Associate 豆 (mame) with ‘mini’—picture a tiny bean in your fingertip to recall both the meaning and the smallness nuance.

Variations

  • 大豆 (daizu) — soybean
  • 小豆 (azuki) — red/azuki bean
  • 枝豆 (edamame) — immature green soybean
  • 豆腐 (tōfu) — soybean curd
  • 豆類 (tōrui) — legumes
豆