How to say 'Rice' or 'Meal' in Japanese | 御飯

word

Meaning

Rice, Meal

Reading

Kanji

御Honorable, General honorific term 飯Cooked rice, Food

Explanation

The Japanese noun '御飯 (ごはん)' has two primary meanings. The first is 'rice', referring specifically to cooked rice, which is a staple food in Japanese cuisine. The second meaning is 'meal', as rice is often the central component of a traditional Japanese meal. For example: I ate rice「御飯を食べた」(ごはんをたべた). Let's have a meal「御飯を食べましょう」(ごはんをたべましょう). The word can also be used in compound words like '朝御飯 (あさごはん)' meaning 'breakfast' and '晩御飯 (ばんごはん)' meaning 'dinner'. It's important to note that while '御飯' can mean both 'rice' and 'meal', the context usually makes it clear which meaning is intended.

Part Of Speech

noun

Kanji JLPT

Kanji Grade

Frequency

2046

Composition

kanji

Handwriting