Language/Japanese/Vocabulary/Basic-Food-and-Drink-Terminology

Japanese Vocabulary → Greetings and Introductions → Basic Food and Drink Terminology

As a beginner in Japanese, it's important to know how to order food and drinks, especially if you're planning to visit or live in Japan. Japanese cuisine is diverse and delicious, and it has a lot of unique vocabulary associated with it. In this lesson, we'll cover some of the basic food and drink terminology you need to know, and we'll also discuss some important restaurant etiquette to keep in mind. By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to confidently order at a Japanese restaurant and impress your dining companions with your knowledge of Japanese cuisine!

Basic Food Terminology

Let's start with some basic food terminology that you'll encounter at many Japanese restaurants.

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
ごはん	gohan	rice
しょくじ	shokuji	meal
りょうり	ryouri	cooking; cuisine
やさい	yasai	vegetables
にく	niku	meat
とりにく	tori niku	chicken
ぎゅうにく	gyuu niku	beef
ぶたにく	buta niku	pork
フィッシュ	fisshu	fish
さかな	sakana	fish
エビ	ebi	shrimp
カニ	kani	crab
イカ	ika	squid

These are some of the most common food items that you'll encounter at Japanese restaurants. Note that "ごはん" (gohan) refers specifically to cooked rice, while "米" (kome) is the general term for uncooked rice. "しょくじ" (shokuji) refers to a meal in general, while "ばんごはん" (bangohan) refers specifically to a dinner meal.

When ordering, it's common to say the name of the food item followed by "おねがいします" (onegaishimasu), which is a polite request that means "please." For example, if you want to order "rice," you would say "ごはんをおねがいします" (gohan o onegaishimasu).

Basic Drink Terminology

Here are some basic drink terminology that you'll encounter at many Japanese restaurants.

Japanese	Pronunciation	English
おちゃ	ocha	green tea
こうちゃ	koucha	black tea
コーヒー	kohii	coffee
ジュース	juusu	juice
みず	mizu	water
おさけ	osake	alcohol; specifically, Japanese rice wine
ビール	biiru	beer

When ordering drinks, it's common to add "をください" (o kudasai) after the name of the drink, which means "please give me." For example, if you want to order "green tea," you would say "おちゃをください" (ocha o kudasai).

Restaurant Etiquette

While Japanese cuisine is delicious, it's important to keep in mind some important restaurant etiquette when dining at a Japanese restaurant.

• When entering a restaurant, it's customary to say "いらっしゃいませ" (irasshaimase), which is a welcoming greeting meaning "please come in."

• Many restaurants require you to remove your shoes before entering. Look for a designated area to store your shoes, and wear clean socks.

• When eating, it's polite to use chopsticks instead of utensils, unless a utensil is provided for a specific dish.

• It's impolite to stick your chopsticks upright in your food. This is reminiscent of funerary rites and is considered extremely bad manners.

• When sharing dishes with others, use the opposite end of your chopsticks to pick up food from a shared plate.

• It's customary to say "いただきます" (itadakimasu) before a meal and "ごちそうさまでした" (gochisousama deshita) after a meal to show gratitude to the chef and the other diners.

By following these basic restaurant etiquette guidelines, you'll be able to fully enjoy your dining experience in Japan while respecting the culture.

Conclusion

In this lesson, we covered some basic food and drink terminology that you're likely to encounter at Japanese restaurants. We also covered important restaurant etiquette to keep in mind when dining in Japan. By knowing these terms and etiquette tips, you'll be able to confidently navigate a Japanese menu and fully immerse yourself in Japanese cuisine. Keep practicing and trying new foods, and you'll be a Japanese culinary expert in no time!

Sources

• Japanese cuisine
• Chopsticks and table manners in Japan

Table of Contents - Japanese Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

  ---

Hiragana Basics

• Hiragana Reading and Writing Practice
• Introduction to Japanese Sentence Structure
• Particle は and が
• Verb Conjugation
• Noun and Adjective Modification
• Question Words and Phrases

  ---

Greetings and Introductions

• Greetings
• Introducing Yourself and Others
• Describing People
• Counting Numbers and Time
• Basic Food and Drink Terminology
• Daily Activities and Hobbies
• Basic Directions and Transportation

  ---

Geography and History

• Introduction to Japanese Geography
• Brief History of Japan
• Traditional Arts and Customs
• Popular Culture and Entertainment

  ---

Adjectives and Adverbs

• Adjective Conjugation
• Adjective Types and Usage
• Adverb Types and Usage
• Comparison and Superlative
• Adjective and Adverbial Modification

  ---

Family and Social Relations

• Family Members and Titles
• Social Etiquette and Expressions
• Basic Workplace and Business Terminology
• Shopping and Consumer Culture

  ---

Religion and Philosophy

• Shinto and Buddhism
• Zen and Samurai Culture
• Contemporary Spiritual Movements

  ---

Particles and Conjunctions

• Particles に and で
• Particles へ and を
• Particles も and しか
• Conjunctions and Compound Sentences
• Conditional and Hypothetical Sentences

  ---

Travel and Tourism

• Basic Travel and Tourism Vocabulary
• Famous Tourist Attractions and Landmarks
• Japanese Hospitality and Service Culture

  ---

Education and Science

• Educational System and Vocabulary
• Traditional and Modern Science and Technology
• Natural Disasters and Risk Prevention

  ---

Prepositions and Interjections

• Prepositions and Postpositions
• Emphasis and Intensification
• Exclamation and Impression Expressions

  ---

Arts and Media

• Film and Theater Terminology
• Music and Dance Terminology
• Art and Literature Terminology

  ---

Politics and Society

• Basic Political Vocabulary
• Social Issues and Controversies
• Japanese Business and Work Culture

Related Lessons

• Famous Tourist Attractions and Landmarks
• Numbers
• The Shapes
• Colors
• Fruits
• Shellfish
• Animals
• How to say Good Bye?
• Count from 1 to 10
• Places