Rice in Japanese
"rice" in Japanese, with the kanji that carry the meaning.
米
kome
4 Japanese kanji carry the meaning "rice". The most common choice is shown first.
Which one to use
米 is rice as grain, uncooked. 飯 is cooked rice, and by extension a meal. 稲 is the rice plant growing in the paddy. 田 is the paddy field itself. English has one word where Japanese has four, which is a fair measure of how central rice is.
Top pick
rice, USA, metre
Reading: bei
6 strokes · nature
Where it comes from
Pictograph of rice grains.
What it carries
Rice, rice grain, rice cultivation. Represents rice.
Related kanji for "rice"
rice
han · nature
Composed of food and return. Something eaten repeatedly.
rice
tou · nature, wisdom
Composed of grain and phonetic. Rice ear.
rice
den · nature
Pictograph of divided rice field.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Japanese kanji for rice?
The most common kanji for "rice" is 米, read as bei. It means rice, USA, metre. Related kanji: 飯 (rice), 稲 (rice), 田 (rice).
How many strokes does 米 have?
米 has 6 strokes.