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Japanese food and menu words

128 words from menus in Japan: what the dishes are called, the fish on a sushi counter, sweets and drinks, and the menu's own words. Pick what each one is, read it, or find the Japanese for it.

Can you read a Japanese menu?

Which
How

About this quiz

Menus in Japan write most dishes in kanji or kana, and foreign dishes in katakana. The words here are written the way the dictionary gives them; a menu may use kana for a word you see in kanji here.

The menu words part is what's printed around the dishes: 大盛り (large serving), 並盛り (normal serving), 特盛 (extra-large portion), 食べ放題 (all-you-can-eat).

What's in it

Dishes 63
寿司、刺身、天ぷら、うどん、ラーメン、丼、親子丼、カツ丼、天丼、牛丼、豚丼、海鮮丼、うな重、鰻丼、焼き鳥、唐揚げ、餃子、お好み焼き、たこ焼き、焼きそば、味噌汁、漬物、冷奴、茶碗蒸し、お茶漬け、焼き魚、煮物、鍋、すき焼き、しゃぶしゃぶ、おでん、焼肉、とんかつ、カレーライス、オムライス、おにぎり、弁当、定食、冷やし中華、つけ麺、担々麺、炒飯、雑炊、湯豆腐、納豆、枝豆、豆腐、卵焼き、目玉焼き、照り焼き、串カツ、肉じゃが、筑前煮、お粥、塩焼き、塩辛、吸い物、おせち料理、酢の物、味噌、揚げ物、和え物、もつ鍋
Sushi & seafood 26
ちらし寿司、巻き寿司、稲荷寿司、手巻き寿司、鮪、とろ、鮭、鯖、鰻、海老、蛸、烏賊、帆立、うに、いくら、鯛、鰤、鯵、穴子、玉子、鰹、鮑、蟹、牡蠣、河豚、にぎり寿司
Sweets & drinks 18
団子、大福、餅、羊羹、煎餅、かき氷、饅頭、どら焼き、たい焼き、抹茶、緑茶、麦茶、ほうじ茶、日本酒、焼酎、梅酒、生ビール、お冷
Menu words 21
大盛り、並盛り、特盛、食べ放題、飲み放題、日替わり、税込、税抜、お子様ランチ、持ち帰り、店内、注文、会計、お通し、品切れ、期間限定、単品、セット、替え玉、おかわり、お勧め
All 128 answers
Japanese food and menus: every word with its reading and meaning
JapaneseReadingMeaningPart
寿司すしsushiDishes
刺身さしみsashimi (raw sliced fish, shellfish or crustaceans)Dishes
天ぷらてんぷらtempura; deep-fried fish and vegetables in a light batterDishes
うどんうどんudon; thick Japanese wheat noodlesDishes
ラーメンラーメンramen; Chinese-style noodlesDishes
丼どんぶりdonburi; bowl of meat, fish, etc. served over riceDishes
親子丼おやこどんoyakodon; bowl of rice topped with chicken and egg (or other parent-child ingredient pairing)Dishes
カツ丼カツどんkatsudon; pork cutlet served on top of a bowl of riceDishes
天丼てんどんtempura donburi; tempura served over a bowl of riceDishes
牛丼ぎゅうどんgyudon; rice covered with sliced beef, usu. with fried onionDishes
豚丼ぶたどんpork donburi; bowl of rice topped with pork and vegetablesDishes
海鮮丼かいせんどんseafood donburiDishes
うな重うなじゅうbroiled eel served over rice in a lacquered boxDishes
鰻丼うなどんeel donburi; bowl of rice topped with eelDishes
焼き鳥やきとりyakitori; chicken pieces (or sometimes beef or pork offal) grilled on a skewerDishes
唐揚げからあげdeep-fried food (esp. chicken)Dishes
餃子ギョーザgyoza; pot sticker; crescent-shaped pan-fried dumplings stuffed with minced pork and vegetablesDishes
お好み焼きおこのみやきokonomiyaki; savoury pancake fried on an iron griddle with vegetables, meat and/or seafood and topped with various sauces and condimentsDishes
たこ焼きたこやきtakoyaki; octopus dumplingsDishes
焼きそばやきそばyakisoba; fried noodles, usu. with vegetables and meatDishes
味噌汁みそしるmiso soupDishes
漬物つけものtsukemono (pickled vegetables)Dishes
冷奴ひややっこcold tofu (served with condiments)Dishes
茶碗蒸しちゃわんむしchawanmushi; savoury steamed egg custard with chicken, mushrooms, etc. (savory)Dishes
お茶漬けおちゃづけochazuke; rice with tea poured on itDishes
焼き魚やきざかなgrilled fishDishes
煮物にものnimono; food cooked by boiling or stewingDishes
鍋なべhot potDishes
すき焼きすきやきsukiyaki; thin slices of beef, cooked with various vegetables in a table-top cast-iron panDishes
しゃぶしゃぶしゃぶしゃぶshabu-shabu; hot pot dish where thinly sliced meat is boiled quickly and then dipped in sauceDishes
おでんおでんoden; dish of various ingredients, e.g. egg, daikon, potato, chikuwa, konnyaku stewed in soy-flavored dashiDishes
焼肉やきにくyakiniku; Japanese dish of grilled meat similar to Korean barbecueDishes
とんかつとんかつtonkatsu; breaded pork cutletDishes
カレーライスカレーライスcurry and rice; rice and curry; curry riceDishes
オムライスオムライスomurice; fried rice wrapped in or topped with omeletteDishes
おにぎりおにぎりonigiri; rice ball (often triangular, sometimes with a filling and wrapped in nori)Dishes
弁当べんとうbento; Japanese box lunchDishes
定食ていしょくset meal; special (of the day)Dishes
ちらし寿司ちらしずしchirashi; chirashizushi; sushi rice in a box or bowl with a variety of ingredients sprinkled on topSushi & seafood
巻き寿司まきずしmakizushi; rolled sushi; sushi rollSushi & seafood
稲荷寿司いなりずしinarizushi; sushi wrapped in fried tofuSushi & seafood
手巻き寿司てまきずしhand-rolled sushi (usu. cone-shaped)Sushi & seafood
冷やし中華ひやしちゅうかchilled Chinese noodlesDishes
つけ麺つけめんcold Chinese noodles served with a dipping sauce separatelyDishes
担々麺タンタンめんtan tan ramen; Szechuan dish of noodles covered with a sauce of sesame paste and chili oilDishes
炒飯チャーハンChinese-style fried riceDishes
雑炊ぞうすいrice porridge made by simmering cooked rice in a seasoned broth, often containing vegetables, fish, etc. (usu. made from leftovers)Dishes
湯豆腐ゆどうふboiled tofuDishes
納豆なっとうnatto (fermented soybeans)Dishes
枝豆えだまめedamame (green soybeans)Dishes
豆腐とうふtofu; bean curd; beancurdDishes
卵焼きたまごやきrolled egg; rolled omelette (omelet)Dishes
目玉焼きめだまやきfried egg; sunny-side up fried eggDishes
照り焼きてりやきteriyaki (meat or fish marinated in sweet soy sauce and broiled)Dishes
串カツくしカツkushikatsu; deep-fried skewered meat and vegetablesDishes
肉じゃがにくじゃがnikujaga; meat and potato stewDishes
筑前煮ちくぜんにchikuzenni; simmered chicken and vegetables; chicken stew with taro, carrot, burdock, etc.Dishes
お粥おかゆthin rice porridge; watery cooked rice; rice gruelDishes
鮪まぐろtuna (Thunnus spp.; esp. the Pacific bluefin)Sushi & seafood
とろとろfatty cut (esp. of tuna belly)Sushi & seafood
鮭さけsalmon (Salmonidae spp.)Sushi & seafood
鯖さばmackerel (esp. the chub mackerel, Scomber japonicus)Sushi & seafood
鰻うなぎeel (esp. the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica)Sushi & seafood
海老えびprawn; shrimp; lobsterSushi & seafood
蛸たこoctopusSushi & seafood
烏賊いかcuttlefish; squidSushi & seafood
帆立ほたてJapanese scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis); Yesso scallopSushi & seafood
うにうにsea urchinSushi & seafood
いくらいくらsalted salmon roeSushi & seafood
鯛たいsea bream (esp. Pagrus major); porgySushi & seafood
鰤ぶりJapanese amberjack (species of yellowtail, Seriola quinqueradiata)Sushi & seafood
鯵あじhorse mackerel (Carangidae spp., esp. the Japanese horse mackerel, Trachurus japonicus); jack mackerel; pompanoSushi & seafood
穴子あなごconger eel (esp. the common Japanese conger, Conger myriaster); garden eelSushi & seafood
玉子たまご(hen's) eggSushi & seafood
鰹かつおskipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis); oceanic bonito; victorfishSushi & seafood
鮑あわびabalone; ear shellSushi & seafood
蟹かにcrabSushi & seafood
牡蠣かきoyster; oyster shellSushi & seafood
河豚ふぐpuffer fish; blow fish; fuguSushi & seafood
団子だんごdango; dumpling (usu. sweet)Sweets & drinks
大福だいふくrice cake stuffed with bean jamSweets & drinks
餅もちmochi; small rice cake made from glutinous riceSweets & drinks
羊羹ようかんyōkan; jellied dessert made from red bean paste, agar, and sugarSweets & drinks
煎餅せんべい(Japanese) rice cracker; senbeiSweets & drinks
かき氷かきごおりshaved ice (usually served with flavored simple syrup)Sweets & drinks
饅頭まんじゅうmanjū; steamed yeast bun with fillingSweets & drinks
どら焼きどらやきdorayaki; dessert sandwich of two small sweet pancakes and red bean pasteSweets & drinks
たい焼きたいやきfish-shaped pancake filled with bean jamSweets & drinks
抹茶まっちゃmatcha; powdered green teaSweets & drinks
緑茶りょくちゃgreen tea; Japanese teaSweets & drinks
麦茶むぎちゃbarley teaSweets & drinks
ほうじ茶ほうじちゃroasted green teaSweets & drinks
日本酒にほんしゅsake (rice wine); sakéSweets & drinks
焼酎しょうちゅうshōchū; Japanese spirit distilled from sweet potatoes, rice, etc.Sweets & drinks
梅酒うめしゅume liqueur; Japanese plum brandy; unripe ume infused in liquor (esp. shōchū) with added sugarSweets & drinks
生ビールなまビールunpasteurized beer; draft beer; draught beerSweets & drinks
お冷おひやcold (drinking) water; (glass of) cold waterSweets & drinks
大盛りおおもりlarge serving; large portionMenu words
並盛りなみもりnormal serving; medium-sized portionMenu words
特盛とくもりextra-large portion; extra-sized servingMenu words
食べ放題たべほうだいall-you-can-eat; eating as much as one likesMenu words
飲み放題のみほうだいall you can drink; bottomless cupMenu words
日替わりひがわりchanging every dayMenu words
税込ぜいこみincluding tax (of a price)Menu words
税抜ぜいぬきtax excluded; excluding taxMenu words
お子様ランチおこさまランチkid's lunch; kid's mealMenu words
持ち帰りもちかえりtakeout (food); take-out; takeawayMenu words
店内てんないinside of a store (restaurant, café, etc.); store interior; on the premisesMenu words
注文ちゅうもんorder (for an item)Menu words
会計かいけいbill (at a restaurant); checkMenu words
お通しおとおしappetizer; starter; hors d'oeuvreMenu words
品切れしなぎれout of stock; sold outMenu words
期間限定きかんげんていlimited timeMenu words
単品たんぴんindividual item (i.e. not part of a set); single articleMenu words
セットセットset (of things); comboMenu words
替え玉かえだまsecond serving of noodles (to add to one's remaining ramen broth)Menu words
おかわりおかわりanother helping; second helping; secondsMenu words
お勧めおすすめrecommendation; advice; suggestionMenu words
にぎり寿司にぎりずしnigirizushi; hand-pressed vinegared rice topped with seafoodSushi & seafood
塩焼きしおやきgrilling (fish) with salt; broiling with saltDishes
塩辛しおからshiokara; paste made from salted fermented seafood (squid, fish entrails, etc.)Dishes
吸い物すいものclear broth soup, with ingredients and garnish floating in and on itDishes
おせち料理おせちりょうりosechi; osechi-ryōri; traditional food eaten during the New Year's holidaysDishes
酢の物すのものvinegared dish; pickled dishDishes
味噌みそmiso; fermented condiment usu. made from soybeansDishes
揚げ物あげものdeep-fried foodDishes
和え物あえものchopped fish, shellfish or vegetables, dressed with (miso or other) sauceDishes
もつ鍋もつなべhot pot stew made with offal, vegetables and (often) misoDishes

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Words: JMdict · © EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0 · All sources · This page's kanji and word data is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.