Visiting a Japanese supermarket is one of the great joys of traveling in Japan. But without knowing the kanji on the packaging, you're left guessing from pictures alone.
Good news: most ingredient kanji are identical or very similar to Chinese characters. Learn these 20, and you can navigate any Japanese supermarket with confidence.
Core Kanji Table
Staples & Grains
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Supermarket Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 米 | ベイ (bei)・マイ (mai) | こめ (kome) | rice | お米 (おこめ, rice), 米国 (べいこく, USA) | 新米 (しんまい) = new crop rice |
| 麦 | バク (baku) | むぎ (mugi) | wheat | 小麦 (こむぎ, wheat), 麦茶 (むぎちゃ, barley tea) | 小麦粉 (こむぎこ) = flour |
| 粉 | フン (fun) | こな (kona)・こ (ko) | powder | 小麦粉 (こむぎこ, flour), 粉末 (ふんまつ, powder) | 薄力粉 = cake flour |
| 穀 | コク (koku) | — | grain | 穀物 (こくもつ, grain), 雑穀 (ざっこく, mixed grains) | 五穀米 = five-grain rice |
| 稲 | トウ (tō) | いね (ine) | rice plant | 稲作 (いなさく, rice farming), 稲穂 (いなほ, rice ear) | Inaniwa udon brand name |
Meat, Eggs, Fish & Beans
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Supermarket Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 肉 | ニク (niku) | — | meat | 牛肉 (ぎゅうにく, beef), 豚肉 (ぶたにく, pork) | 鶏肉 (とりにく) = chicken |
| 魚 | ギョ (gyo) | さかな (sakana)・うお (uo) | fish | 魚介 (ぎょかい, seafood), 鮮魚 (せんぎょ, fresh fish) | 刺身 (さしみ) = sashimi |
| 豆 | トウ (tō)・ズ (zu) | まめ (mame) | bean | 大豆 (だいず, soybean), 豆腐 (とうふ, tofu) | 納豆 (なっとう) = natto |
| 卵 | ラン (ran) | たまご (tamago) | egg | 卵焼き (たまごやき, omelet), 生卵 (なまたまご, raw egg) | 温泉卵 = hot spring egg |
| 乳 | ニュウ (nyū) | ちち (chichi) | milk | 牛乳 (ぎゅうにゅう, milk), 乳製品 (にゅうせいひん, dairy) | 低脂肪乳 = low-fat milk |
Vegetables & Extras
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Supermarket Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 菜 | サイ (sai) | な (na) | vegetable | 野菜 (やさい, vegetable), 菜食 (さいしょく, vegetarian) | 野菜コーナー = vegetable section |
| 茶 | チャ (cha)・サ (sa) | — | tea | 緑茶 (りょくちゃ, green tea), 紅茶 (こうちゃ, black tea) | 抹茶 (まっちゃ) = matcha |
| 芋 | — | いも (imo) | potato | さつまいも (sweet potato), 里芋 (さといも, taro) | 焼き芋 = roasted sweet potato |
| 栗 | リツ (ritsu) | くり (kuri) | chestnut | 栗ご飯 (くりごはん, chestnut rice), 甘栗 (あまぐり, sweet chestnut) | 天津甘栗 = Tianjin chestnuts |
Seasonings
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Supermarket Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 塩 | エン (en) | しお (shio) | salt | 塩分 (えんぶん, salt content), 食塩 (しょくえん, table salt) | 減塩 (げんえん) = reduced salt |
| 糖 | トウ (tō) | — | sugar | 砂糖 (さとう, sugar), 糖分 (とうぶん, sugar content) | 低糖 (ていとう) = low sugar |
| 油 | ユ (yu) | あぶら (abura) | oil | 醤油 (しょうゆ, soy sauce), 食用油 (cooking oil) | サラダ油 = salad oil |
| 酢 | サク (saku) | す (su) | vinegar | 酢の物 (すのもの, vinegared dish), 黒酢 (くろず, black vinegar) | ポン酢 = ponzu |
| 醤 | ショウ (shō) | — | sauce/paste | 醤油 (しょうゆ, soy sauce), 味噌 (みそ, miso) | 醤油 (しょうゆ) = soy sauce |
| 酒 | シュ (shu) | さけ (sake) | alcohol | 日本酒 (にほんしゅ, sake), 酒屋 (さかや, liquor store) | 料理酒 = cooking sake |
Supermarket Survival Guide
You'll see these labels everywhere in Japanese supermarkets:
| Label | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 国産 | Domestic | Produced in Japan |
| 輸入品 | Imported | From overseas |
| 賞味期限 | Best before | Quality date (still safe briefly after) |
| 消費期限 | Use by | Safety date (don't eat after) |
| 税込 | Tax included | Price includes consumption tax |
| 税抜 | Before tax | Need to add consumption tax |
| 割引 | Discount | On sale |
| 半額 | Half price | 50% off! |
Chinese-Japanese Ingredient Differences
Most ingredient kanji are the same, but watch out for these:
| Japanese | Chinese | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 豚 (ぶた) | 猪 (pig) | Japanese uses 豚 for pork |
| 鶏 (にわとり) | 鸡 (chicken) | Different character, same meaning |
| 玉葱 (たまねぎ) | 洋葱 (onion) | Japanese calls it "ball onion" |
| 人参 (にんじん) | 胡萝卜 (carrot) | Japanese 人参 = carrot, NOT ginseng! |
| 唐辛子 (とうがらし) | 辣椒 (chili) | 唐 = "from Tang (China)" |
⚠️ Important: Japanese 人参 means carrot, not ginseng! Ginseng in Japanese is 朝鮮人参 or 高麗人参.
Cultural Note: The Five Tastes of Washoku
Japanese cuisine values five flavors: 甘 (sweet), 酸 (sour), 鹹 (salty), 苦 (bitter), 辣 (spicy).
But the Japanese added a sixth: 旨味 (うまみ, umami). Umami is the "savory" taste, discovered by Japanese chemist Kikunae Ikeda in 1908. It's now recognized worldwide as the fifth basic taste. The kanji 旨 = delicious.
Practice
Q1. You see 豚肉 in a Japanese supermarket. What meat is it?
Show answer
Pork. Japanese uses 豚 (ぶた) for pig/pork. 豚肉 = ぶたにく = pork.
Q2. What's the difference between 賞味期限 and 消費期限?
Show answer
賞味期限 = best before date (still safe briefly after, but quality may decrease); 消費期限 = use by date (don't eat after this date).
Q3. What does 人参 mean in Japanese?
Show answer
Carrot. NOT ginseng! Japanese ginseng is called 朝鮮人参 or 高麗人参.
Q4. How do you pronounce 醤油?
Show answer
しょうゆ (shōyu). 醤 (しょう) + 油 (ゆ). This is the most essential Japanese cooking seasoning.
Q5. What does 半額 mean when you see it on a price tag?
Show answer
Half price. 半 = half, 額 = amount. Japanese supermarkets often discount items to half price in the evening — great for bargain hunting!
Summary
- Ingredient kanji are essential for traveling in Japan, and most match Chinese
- Key supermarket labels: 国産, 賞味期限, 消費期限, 税込, 半額
- Watch for false friends: 人参 ≠ ginseng (it's carrot), 豚 = pig/pork
- Japan's unique umami (旨味) concept is the fifth basic taste
- Next up: From raw ingredients to cooked dishes — learn cooking kanji like 煮, 焼, 蒸, 炒