“Food” in Japanese is 食べ物 (たべもの), pronounced tabemono.
Pronunciation
The word has 4 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
Literally “eat thing”. Similarly, drinks are 飲み物, “drink things”.
Example sentences
- 好きな食べ物は何ですか。すきなたべものはなんですか。What’s your favourite food?
- 日本の食べ物はおいしいです。にほんのたべものはおいしいです。Japanese food is delicious.
Quick practice
Test yourself0/3
What does {{食べ物}} mean?
How do you read {{食べ物}}?
Which word means “restaurant”?
Related words: Food & drink
FAQ
How do you say food in Japanese?
Food in Japanese is 食べ物 (たべもの), pronounced “tabemono”.
How do you write food in Japanese?
It's written 食べ物 with kanji, or たべもの in hiragana. Both are read tabemono.
Is 食べ物 on the JLPT?
Yes. 食べ物 (tabemono) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.