Japanese dining isn't just about eating — it's a culture. From 「いただきます」 before meals to 「ごちそうさま」 after, from the elegant 膳 (formal place setting) to the hearty 丼 (rice bowl) — every kanji tells a story.
This article takes you to the Japanese table to learn 20 dining culture kanji.
Core Kanji Table
Meals & Cuisine
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 食 | ショク (shoku) | た (ta)・く (ku) | eat, food | 食べる (たべる, to eat), 食事 (しょくじ, meal) | The most basic "eat" |
| 飲 | イン (in) | の (no) | drink | 飲む (のむ, to drink), 飲料 (いんりょう, beverage) | 飲み物 = drinks |
| 飯 | ハン (han) | めし (meshi) | cooked rice, meal | ご飯 (ごはん, rice/meal), 朝飯 (あさめし, breakfast) | ご飯 = rice AND meal |
| 膳 | ゼン (zen) | — | tray, course | 御膳 (ごぜん, formal meal), 定食膳 (set meal tray) | 一人前の膳 = one serving |
| 丼 | ドン (don) | — | rice bowl | 牛丼 (ぎゅうどん, beef bowl), 親子丼 (おやこどん, chicken & egg bowl) | 丼物 = bowl dishes |
| 鍋 | — | なべ (nabe) | pot, hotpot | 鍋物 (なべもの, hotpot), 鍋料理 (なべりょうり, pot cooking) | すき焼き = sukiyaki |
| 餅 | ヘイ (hei) | もち (mochi) | rice cake | お餅 (おもち, mochi), 餅つき (もちつき, mochi pounding) | 雑煮 = New Year's mochi soup |
| 菓 | カ (ka) | — | confection | お菓子 (おかし, sweets), 和菓子 (わがし, Japanese sweets) | 和菓子 = traditional Japanese confections |
Utensils & Vessels
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 箸 | — | はし (hashi) | chopsticks | お箸 (おはし, chopsticks), 箸置き (はしおき, chopstick rest) | 割り箸 = disposable chopsticks |
| 皿 | — | さら (sara) | plate | お皿 (おさら, plate), 小皿 (こざら, small plate) | 取り皿 = serving plate |
| 杯 | ハイ (hai) | さかずき (sakazuki) | cup, glass | 乾杯 (かんぱい, cheers), 一杯 (いっぱい, one cup) | 乾杯！= Cheers! |
| 碗 | ワン (wan) | — | bowl | 茶碗 (ちゃわん, rice bowl), お碗 (おわん, soup bowl) | 茶碗 = rice bowl (not tea bowl) |
| 盆 | ボン (bon) | — | tray | お盆 (おぼん, tray), 盆栽 (ぼんさい, bonsai) | Also the Obon festival |
| 瓶 | ビン (bin) | — | bottle | 花瓶 (かびん, vase), 一升瓶 (いっしょうびん, 1.8L bottle) | ビール瓶 = beer bottle |
| 缶 | カン (kan) | — | can | 缶詰 (かんづめ, canned food), 空き缶 (あきかん, empty can) | 缶ビール = canned beer |
Banquet Culture
| Kanji | On'yomi | Kun'yomi | Meaning | Common Words | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 宴 | エン (en) | うたげ (utage) | banquet | 宴会 (えんかい, banquet), 宴席 (えんせき, banquet seat) | 忘年会 = year-end party |
| 酌 | シャク (shaku) | く (ku) | pour sake | 晩酌 (ばんしゃく, evening drink), 酌み交わす (to share drinks) | 晩酌 = evening tipple |
| 酔 | スイ (sui) | よ (yo) | drunk | 酔う (よう, to get drunk), 二日酔い (ふつかよい, hangover) | 二日酔い = hangover |
| 飽 | ホウ (hō) | あ (a) | satiated | 飽きる (あきる, to tire of), 飽食 (ほうしょく, gluttony) | 食べ飽きた = tired of eating |
| 饗 | キョウ (kyō) | — | feast | 饗宴 (きょうえん, feast), 饗す (もてなす, to entertain) | Formal banquet language |
The Deep Meaning of いただきます
Japanese people say 「いただきます」 before meals and 「ごちそうさまでした」 after. This isn't religious prayer — it's an expression of gratitude toward food.
- いただきます = "I humbly receive" (humble form of 頂く) → thanking the animals and plants that gave their lives for this meal
- ごちそうさま = 馳走 (running around to gather ingredients) → thanking the cook who worked hard to prepare the meal
The kanji for 馳走 are 馳 (gallop) + 走 (run) — meaning the cook ran around everywhere to gather ingredients. The gratitude is directed at their effort.
Japanese Cuisine Terminology
| Dish | Kanji | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 刺身 | 刺す (pierce) + 身 (flesh) | Sashimi — thinly sliced raw fish |
| 天ぷら | 天麩羅 | Tempura — deep-fried food, from Portuguese |
| 寿司 | 寿司 | Originally fish preserved with vinegar (酢 = vinegar) |
| 味噌汁 | 味噌 (miso) + 汁 (soup) | Miso soup — Japan's soul food |
| 弁当 | 便当 | Bento — boxed meal, from Chinese "便當" |
Chinese vs. Japanese Dining Kanji
| Japanese | Chinese | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| 飯 (めし) | 饭 (rice) | Similar, but ご飯 means both "rice" and "meal" |
| 餅 (もち) | 饼 (flatbread) | Japanese 餅 = mochi (sticky rice cake)! Chinese 饼 = flatbread |
| 菓子 (かし) | sweets | Japanese 菓 preserves the ancient evolution: fruit → confection |
| 丼 (どん) | bowl | Chinese doesn't commonly use 丼 |
⚠️ Note: Japanese 餅 (もち) is mochi/rice cake, not flatbread!
Cultural Note: Ichijū-Sansai — The Structure of Washoku
The basic structure of traditional Japanese cuisine is 「一汁三菜」(いちじゅうさんさい):
- 一汁 = one soup (usually miso soup)
- 三菜 = three dishes (one main + two sides)
- Plus ご飯 (rice) and 漬物 (pickles)
This structure reflects the Japanese pursuit of balanced eating. In 2013, washoku was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Practice
Q1. What's the deeper meaning of いただきます?
Show answer
Gratitude toward food. 頂く is a humble verb meaning "to receive respectfully." It expresses thanks to the animals and plants that sacrificed their lives for the meal.
Q2. What is Japanese 餅? How is it different from Chinese 饼?
Show answer
Japanese 餅 (もち) is mochi — a sticky rice cake made by pounding glutinous rice. Chinese 饼 is flatbread/pancake. Completely different!
Q3. What does 馳走 in ごちそうさま originally mean?
Show answer
Running around. 馳 (gallop) + 走 (run) = running everywhere to gather ingredients. The phrase thanks the cook for their effort in preparing the meal.
Q4. What does 一汁三菜 mean?
Show answer
One soup plus three dishes. The basic washoku structure: one soup (miso) + three dishes (one main + two sides), plus rice and pickles.
Q5. How do you read 丼 in 牛丼? What does it mean?
Show answer
どん (don). 丼 = a large bowl of rice with toppings. 牛丼 = beef rice bowl. Other popular don: 親子丼 (chicken & egg bowl), 天丼 (tempura bowl), 海鮮丼 (seafood bowl).
Summary
- The core of Japanese dining culture: gratitude — いただきます and ごちそうさま
- Utensil kanji: 箸 (chopsticks), 皿 (plate), 碗 (bowl), 杯 (cup)
- Watch for false friends: 餅 = mochi (not flatbread), 飯 = rice AND meal
- Washoku basic structure: 一汁三菜 (one soup, three dishes, plus rice and pickles)
- The food series (3 articles) is complete! You've mastered 60 food-related kanji — enough to dine confidently across Japan