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How to say 'Lunchbox' in Japanese | 弁当

Wondering how to say 'Lunchbox' in Japanese? You're in the right place!

The Japanese word for Lunchbox is 'Bentou', written as 弁当 in Japanese.'Lunchbox' in hiragana is べんとう.

    word

    弁当

    Meaning

    Lunchbox

    Reading

    べんとう

    bentou

    Kanji

    弁Valve, Dialect 当Hit, Appropriate

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '弁当 (べんとう)' refers to a 'lunchbox' or a packed meal, typically consisting of rice, fish or meat, and vegetables, arranged neatly in a box. It is a common way to carry meals in Japan, often prepared at home or bought from convenience stores, supermarkets, or specialized bento shops. Bento boxes are popular for school lunches, work meals, and picnics. For example: I bought a bento at the station「駅で弁当を買いました」(えきでべんとうをかいました). Her bento is always colorful「彼女の弁当はいつもカラフルです」(かのじょのべんとうはいつもからふるです). Bento boxes are not only practical but also aesthetically pleasing, often reflecting the care and effort put into their preparation.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N1

    Kanji Grade

    5

    Frequency

    4032

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word 弁当

This word contains 2 kanji characters:

  • kanji

    弁

    Meaning

    Valve, Dialect

  • kanji

    当

    Meaning

    Hit, Appropriate

Words Related to 弁当 Through the Kanji 弁

These 4 Words contain the Kanji 弁 as well.

  • word

    弁

    Meaning

    Valve, Speech

  • word

    弁論

    Meaning

    Debate

  • word

    弁護

    Meaning

    Defense

  • word

    弁護士

    Meaning

    Lawyer

Words Related to 弁当 Through the Kanji 当

These 37 Words contain the Kanji 当 as well.

  • word

    本当

    Meaning

    Truth

  • word

    本当に

    Meaning

    Really

  • word

    当時

    Meaning

    Then

  • word

    当たる

    Meaning

    Hit, Win

  • word

    担当

    Meaning

    In charge

  • word

    当然

    Meaning

    Natural, Obvious

  • word

    当てる

    Meaning

    Hit, Guess

  • word

    突き当たる

    Meaning

    Hit, Reach

  • word

    突き当たり

    Meaning

    End

  • word

    当該

    Meaning

    Relevant

  • word

    当初

    Meaning

    Beginning

  • word

    当たり前

    Meaning

    Natural, Obvious

  • word

    当たり

    Meaning

    Hit, Vicinity

  • word

    正当

    Meaning

    Just, Legitimate

  • word

    当事

    Meaning

    Parties

  • word

    該当

    Meaning

    Applicable

  • word

    当日

    Meaning

    Day

  • word

    当

    Meaning

    Correct, Hit

  • word

    当局

    Meaning

    Authorities

  • word

    配当

    Meaning

    Dividend

  • word

    妥当

    Meaning

    Appropriate

  • word

    不当

    Meaning

    Unjust

  • word

    見当

    Meaning

    Direction, Estimate

  • word

    手当て

    Meaning

    Treatment, Allowance

  • word

    当分

    Meaning

    Awhile

  • word

    当人

    Meaning

    Person

  • word

    当番

    Meaning

    Duty

  • word

    日当たり

    Meaning

    Sunlight

  • word

    割り当て

    Meaning

    Allocation

  • word

    割り当てる

    Meaning

    Allocate

  • word

    当て

    Meaning

    Aim, Reliance

  • word

    見当たる

    Meaning

    Found

  • word

    相当

    Meaning

    Considerable, Equivalent

  • word

    当選

    Meaning

    Win

  • word

    適当

    Meaning

    Suitable, Random

  • word

    当てはまる

    Meaning

    Fit, Apply

  • word

    抵当

    Meaning

    Mortgage

Learn the Word 弁当

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What does 'Bentou' (弁当) mean?

'Bentou' means 'Lunchbox' .

To help you master this word, here's an interactive lesson where you'll practice its readings and meanings.