Shopping at Japanese supermarkets, reading recipes, or ordering at restaurants — food vocabulary is some of the most immediately useful Japanese you can learn. Many ingredients use katakana loanwords, but plenty are native Japanese or kanji-based words.
Vegetables
| English | Japanese | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabbage | キャベツ | キャベツ | From English "cabbage" |
| Chinese cabbage | 白菜 | はくさい | Same kanji as Chinese |
| Spinach | ほうれん草 | ほうれんそう | |
| Broccoli | ブロッコリー | ブロッコリー | From English |
| Celery | セロリ | セロリ | From English |
| Eggplant | 茄子 | なす | Also なすび |
| Onion | 玉ねぎ | たまねぎ | |
| Garlic | にんにく | にんにく | |
| Ginger | 生姜 | しょうが | |
| Bell pepper | ピーマン | ピーマン | From French "piment" |
キャベツ is extremely common in Japanese cuisine. Shredded cabbage (千切りキャベツ) is the standard side dish served with tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet).
Nuts and Fruits
| English | Japanese | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazelnut | ヘーゼルナッツ | ヘーゼルナッツ | From English |
| Walnut | くるみ | くるみ | Native Japanese word |
| Almond | アーモンド | アーモンド | From English |
| Peanut | 落花生 | らっかせい | Also ピーナッツ |
| Strawberry | いちご | いちご | Kanji: 苺 |
| Peach | 桃 | もも | |
| Grape | ぶどう | ぶどう |
ヘーゼルナッツ in Japan is mainly found in desserts and coffee drinks — ヘーゼルナッツラテ (hazelnut latte) is a popular café order.
Cooking Methods
| English | Japanese | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| BBQ/Barbecue | バーベキュー | バーベキュー | Abbreviated BBQ |
| Grilled meat | 焼肉 | やきにく | Japanese-style grilling |
| Stir-fry | 炒める | いためる | |
| Simmer/Stew | 煮る | にる | |
| Steam | 蒸す | むす | |
| Deep-fry | 揚げる | あげる | Tempura = 揚げ物 |
| Eat raw | 生で食べる | なまでたべる | Sashimi = raw fish |
焼肉 vs. バーベキュー: 焼肉 is Japanese-style grilling thin slices of meat at a dedicated restaurant table grill. バーベキュー is outdoor barbecue, closer to Western-style BBQ.
Example Sentences
スーパーでキャベツが安かったから、二玉も買ってしまった。 Cabbage was cheap at the supermarket, so I accidentally bought two whole heads.
にんにくを入れすぎて、部屋中がにんにく臭い。 I put in too much garlic — the whole room smells like garlic.
週末にみんなでバーベキューをしよう。 Let's have a barbecue together this weekend.
ヘーゼルナッツのチョコレートが大好きです。 I love hazelnut chocolate.
Common Supermarket Labels
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 国産 | Domestic |
| 有機 | Organic |
| 特売 | On sale |
| 税抜 / 税込 | Before tax / Tax included |
| 消費期限 | Use-by date |
| 賞味期限 | Best-before date |
消費期限 vs. 賞味期限: 消費期限 means "don't eat after this date" (safety). 賞味期限 means "best quality before this date" (taste may decline but still safe).
Summary
- Cabbage → キャベツ, Chinese cabbage → はくさい, Spinach → ほうれんそう
- Hazelnut → ヘーゼルナッツ, Walnut → くるみ, Almond → アーモンド
- BBQ → バーベキュー (outdoor) / 焼肉 (Japanese restaurant-style)
- Vegetable names are a mix of loanwords and native words — no pattern, just memorize them
Self-Check
Q1. How do you say "The cabbage at the supermarket is cheap" in Japanese?
Show answer
スーパーのキャベツが安い。
キャベツ = cabbage, 安い = やすい (cheap).
Q2. What's the difference between 焼肉 and バーベキュー?
Show answer
焼肉 (やきにく) is Japanese-style grilling of thin meat slices at a restaurant table grill. バーベキュー is outdoor barbecue, Western-style BBQ.
Q3. What's the difference between 消費期限 and 賞味期限?
Show answer
消費期限 is a safety deadline — don't eat after this date. 賞味期限 is a quality deadline — taste may decline but it's still safe to eat.