“Lunch” in Japanese is 昼ご飯 (ひるごはん), pronounced hirugohan.
Pronunciation
The word has 5 beats (morae), each about the same length. Tap a syllable to hear it, or play the whole word:
How to use it
Literally “noon rice”. Many Japanese workers eat a quick lunch set or a bento.
Example sentences
- 昼ご飯を一緒に食べませんか。ひるごはんをいっしょにたべませんか。Shall we have lunch together?
- 昼ご飯はまだです。ひるごはんはまだです。I haven’t had lunch yet.
Quick practice
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Related words: Food & drink
FAQ
How do you say lunch in Japanese?
Lunch in Japanese is 昼ご飯 (ひるごはん), pronounced “hirugohan”.
How do you write lunch in Japanese?
It's written 昼ご飯 with kanji, or ひるごはん in hiragana. Both are read hirugohan.
Is 昼ご飯 on the JLPT?
Yes. 昼ご飯 (hirugohan) is a common word at JLPT N5 level, so it's worth learning early.