Japanese Food Dictionary

Please note that this page is under construction

Basic ingredients:

  • 肉 (にく,niku): meat, by default pork
  • 豚 (ぶた, buta): pig
  • 牛 (ぎゅう, gyuu): cow
  • 鳥 (とり, tori): bird, usually chicken
  • 鶏 (とり, tori): this one is always chicken
  • 羊 (ひつじ, hitsuji): lamb or mutton
  • 魚 (さかな, sakana): fish
  • 海老 (えび, ebi): shrimp
  • ホタテ貝 (ホタテ, hotate(gai)): scallop
  • 明太子 (めんたいこ, mentaiko): spicy cod roe
  • 卵 (たまご, tamago): egg
  • 野菜 (やさい, yasai): vegetable
  • 白菜 (はくさい, hakusai): napa cabbage
  • 大根 (だいこん, daikon): Japanese radish
  • 木の子 (きのこ, kinoko): mushroom
  • なす (nasu): eggplant
  • 豆腐 (とうふ, toufu): tofu
  • いちご (ichigo): strawberry
  • だし (dashi): fish stock
  • 牛乳 (gyuunyuu): cow’s milk

Dishes:

  • 揚げ出し豆腐 (agedashidoufu): deep fried tofu in fish stock
  • 天ぷら (tempura): lightly battered and then deep fried vegetables or seafood
  • 刺身 (さしみ, sashimi): sliced raw fish
  • すし (sushi): small pieces of raw seafood placed individually on small portions of vinegar rice; seasonings vary depending on the kind of seafood
  • ちらしずし (charashizushi): an assortment of raw seafood on a bed of sushi-style vinegar rice
  • すき焼き (sukiyaki): thinly sliced beef cooked with vegetables and clear noodles in a somewhat sweet broth, often dipped in raw egg before eating
  • とんかつ (tonkatsu): breaded and fried pork cutlet
  • コロッケ (korokke): Japanese-style croquette
  • 〜どんぶり (~donburi): something over rice, usually cooked with egg, onions, and a slightly sweet sauce, often shortened to don (丼)
  • かつ丼 (katsudon): breaded and fried pork cutlet donburi style
  • 親子丼 (oyakodon): chicken donburi, literally “mother and child” because of the chicken and egg
  • 牛丼 (gyuudon): beef donburi, with onions but no egg
  • たこ焼き (takoyaki): a small ball of fried dough with a piece of octopus inside, usually cooked en mass in an array of special cups
  • 団子 (~dango): a meatball, usually made of shrimp or pork
  • おでん (oden): various boiled items, typically various highly processed seafood products, served with Chinese-style mustard
  • なべ (nabe): hot pot with vegetables and thinly sliced meat
  • ちゃはん (chahan): fried rice
  • 焼き飯 (yakimeshi): fried rice, by a different name
  • らめん (ramen): supposedly Chinese-style noodles in broth, available in a dizzying number of varieties
  • ちゃあしゅう麺
  • 餃子 (ぎょうざ, gyouza): pan fried dumplings filled with seasoned pork
  • 水餃子 (suigyouza): boiled dumplings served in a light broth
  • 焼き肉 (yakiniku): grilled meat that you cook yourself at the table, derivative of Korean-style barbeque
  • 茶碗蒸 (ちゃわんむし, chawanmushi): savory egg custard into which can be cooked a wide variety of items
  • だて巻 (datemaki): sweet rolled egg
  • 牛タン (gyuutan): cow’s tongue, salted and grilled
  • 八宝菜 (happosai): supposedly Chinese-style stir-fry with meat and vegetables in a sweet sauce
  • 冷奴 (hiyayakko): cold tofu, a summer dish usually topped with ginger, green onion, bonito flakes, and a dash of soy sauce

Sushi and Sashimi:

  • 甘海老 (甘エビ, amaebi): sweet shrimp
  • あじ (aji): horse mackerel, Spanish mackerel
  • あさり (asari): baby clam
  • げそ (geso): squid tentacles
  • はまち (hamachi): yellowtail
  • ひらめ (hirame): halibut
  • いくら (ikura): salmon roe

Preparation Styles:

  • 田楽 (dengaku): grilled and covered with miso sauce
  • 〜盛り合わせ (~moriawase): a variety (e.g., 天ぷら盛り合わせ, tempura moriawase)