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How to say 'Rice' in Japanese | 米

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

The Japanese word for Rice is 'Bei', written as 米 in Japanese.'Rice' in hiragana is べい.

    word

    Meaning

    Rice

    Reading

    べい

    bei

    Kanji

    Rice

    Explanation

    The Japanese noun '米 (べい)' primarily refers to 'rice', which is a staple food in Japan. This term is often used in contexts related to agriculture, cooking, and daily meals. For example: I bought rice「米を買いました」(べいをかいました). Rice is essential in Japanese cuisine「米は日本料理に欠かせない」(べいはにほんりょうりにかかせない). It's important to note that '米' can also refer to uncooked rice, distinguishing it from 'ご飯 (ごはん)', which typically refers to cooked rice or a meal.

    Part Of Speech

    noun

    Kanji JLPT

    N3

    Kanji Grade

    2

    Frequency

    1274

    Composition

    kanji

    Handwriting

Kanji in the Word

This word contains 1 kanji character:

  • kanji

    Meaning

    Rice

Words Related to Through the Kanji

These 4 Words contain the Kanji 米 as well.

  • word

    米国

    Meaning

    USA

  • word

    欧米

    Meaning

    West

  • word

    日米

    Meaning

    Japan United States

  • word

    米軍

    Meaning

    United states military

Learn the Word

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What does 'Bei' (米) mean?

'Bei' means 'Rice' .

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