Food in Japanese
"food" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
食
shoku
5 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "food". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
食 is food and eating. 飯 is cooked rice and, by extension, a meal. 糧 is provisions, food as supply. 膳 is a meal as served on its tray. 餌 is animal feed and bait — not a word for human food.
Top pick
eat, food
Reading: shoku
9 strokes
Where it comes from
Composed of '人' (person) and '良' (good). Person eating something good. Or covered dish.
What it carries
Meal, survival, culture. Symbolizes Japanese food culture as 'food is life'.
Related kanji for "food"
food
han · nature
Composed of food and return. Something eaten repeatedly.
food
ryou · wisdom
Combines 'rice' (米) with 'measure' (量), representing grain stored by measurement—provisions.
food
zen
Composed of flesh and good. Good flesh tray.
food
ji
Composed of food and ear. Food like ear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for food?
The most common kanji for "food" is 食, read as shoku. It means eat, food. Related kanji: 飯 (food), 糧 (food), 膳 (food), 餌 (food).
How many strokes does 食 have?
食 has 9 strokes.