Details
Stroke Order
Cultural Context
Etymology
Composed of food and return. Something eaten repeatedly.
Symbolism
Rice, breakfast, cooking rice. Represents Japanese staple food.
Related Culture & Scenes
- — Ice crystals
Component Breakdown
food + 反
Words & Expressions
Words written with 飯
Four-Character Compounds
一宿一飯
いっしゅくいっぱん
(being beholden to someone for a favor of) a night's lodging and a meal
日常茶飯
にちじょうさはん
everyday occurrence
家常茶飯
かじょうさはん
everyday occurrence; commonplace of life; nothing out of the ordinary
椀飯振舞
おうばんぶるまい
lavish feast; splendid banquet; corporate largess
Anime & Manga
ダンジョン飯
Delicious in Dungeon
A well-known work with 飯 in its Japanese title.
死亡遊戯で飯を食う。
SHIBOYUGI: Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table
A well-known work with 飯 in its Japanese title.
かくりよの宿飯
Kakuriyo -Bed & Breakfast for Spirits-
A well-known work with 飯 in its Japanese title.
Related Figures & Stories
飯富虎昌
Name contains 飯
Obu Toramasa , known as the "Wild Tiger of Kai", was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku period, who served the Takeda clan.
Wikipedia飯篠家直
Name contains 飯
Iizasa Chōisai Ienao was the founder of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū which is a traditional Japanese martial art.
Wikipedia飯沼慾斎
Name contains 飯
Iinuma Yokusai was a Japanese botanist and medical doctor.
WikipediaFrequently Asked Questions
What does 飯 mean in Japanese?
飯 means meal, boiled rice.
How do you read 飯?
On'yomi: ハン (HAN). Kun'yomi: めし (meshi).
How many strokes does 飯 have?
飯 has 12 strokes. Its radical is 食 (eat).
Is 飯 a good kanji for a tattoo?
飯 is one of the kanji most often chosen for tattoos. It means meal, boiled rice. Read the full meaning and cultural background on this page first — some popular choices are deliberately dark.