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nihongo

cheatsheet

Menu reader

Your survival kit for any Japanese restaurant — from a ramen counter to an izakaya. Read the menu, order without panic, and flag what you can't eat. Honest heads-up on the dietary section: strict vegetarian/vegan is genuinely hard in Japan because dashi (fish/bonito stock) hides in almost everything. Use the allergy/dietary phrases, but assume traces unless staff confirm.

Dish types (menu categories)

These are the big headings you'll see on a menu or shop sign. Spot the category, then look at 'Common dishes' for what's inside it.

teishoku
set meal
Main + rice + miso soup + pickles. Great value, balanced, very common at lunch.
donburi / donburimono
rice bowl dish
Topping over a bowl of rice. Gyudon (beef), katsudon (pork cutlet), oyakodon (chicken & egg).
menrui
noodle dishes
Umbrella term for ramen, udon, soba, etc.
karee
(Japanese) curry
Mild, thick, sweet-savory. Katsu curry = with a fried pork cutlet on top.
yakimono
grilled dishes
Anything grilled — fish, meat, yakitori skewers.
agemono
fried dishes
Deep-fried — tempura, karaage, tonkatsu live here.
nabe / nabemono
hot pot
Shared simmering pot at the table. Winter favorite; usually for 2+ people.
sashimi
sliced raw fish
Raw fish, no rice. Different from sushi (which sits on rice).
sushi
sushi
Fish/topping on vinegared rice. Conveyor-belt (kaiten) spots are easy and beginner-friendly.
zensai / otooshi
appetizer / table charge dish
Otooshi is a small dish auto-served at izakaya — it's a seating charge, not a free snack.
ippin ryouri
single small plates
À la carte sides, izakaya-style. Order a few to share.
gohanmono
rice dishes
Rice-based items as a category heading.

Common dishes

The dishes you'll actually want to order. Ramen broths matter a lot — pick by the broth name.

raamen
ramen
Wheat noodles in broth. The broth type is the key choice (see below).
shouyu raamen
soy-sauce ramen
Clear brown broth, soy-based. Classic, light-ish.
miso raamen
miso ramen
Rich, hearty, slightly sweet. Hokkaido signature.
shio raamen
salt ramen
Lightest, clear broth. Good if you want something delicate.
tonkotsu raamen
pork-bone ramen
Creamy white broth, very rich. Hakata/Kyushu style. Contains pork.
tsukemen
dipping noodles
Noodles served separate from a thick concentrated dipping broth.
udon
udon
Thick, chewy white wheat noodles. Hot or cold.
soba
soba (buckwheat noodles)
Thin grey-brown buckwheat noodles. Note: contains buckwheat — a real allergen.
tenpura
tempura
Light-battered deep-fried seafood and vegetables.
karaage
Japanese fried chicken
Marinated, juicy, crispy. Izakaya staple. Contains chicken.
tonkatsu
breaded pork cutlet
Crispy deep-fried pork. Contains pork.
yakitori
grilled chicken skewers
Order by skewer. Choose tare (sweet soy sauce) or shio (salt).
gyouza
pan-fried dumplings
Usually pork & cabbage. Crispy bottom. Classic ramen-shop side.
okonomiyaki
savory pancake
Cabbage batter griddle-cooked with your choice of fillings. Osaka/Hiroshima specialty.
takoyaki
octopus balls
Griddled batter balls with octopus inside. Street-food classic. Contains octopus.
gyuudon
beef rice bowl
Simmered beef & onion over rice. Fast, cheap, everywhere (Yoshinoya/Sukiya).
oyakodon
chicken & egg rice bowl
Chicken simmered with egg over rice. Comforting, mild.
katsudon
pork cutlet rice bowl
Tonkatsu with egg over rice. Filling. Contains pork & egg.
tendon
tempura rice bowl
Tempura over rice with sweet sauce.
nigiri-zushi
hand-pressed sushi
Single topping on a finger of rice. Point at what you want on a belt.
kaisendon
seafood bowl
Assorted raw seafood over rice. Great at fish markets.

Drinks

To say 'I'll have X', use: 'X o kudasai'. For 'cold' say tsumetai, for 'hot' say atatakai/hot.

mizu / o-mizu
water
Tap water is safe & free — usually brought automatically. Say 'o-mizu kudasai'.
o-cha
tea (green)
Often free hot/cold green tea at the table, especially sushi & soba shops.
ryokucha
green tea
Standard green tea, bottled or brewed.
uuroncha
oolong tea
Popular unsweetened non-alcoholic order at izakaya.
biiru
beer
Say 'nama biiru' for draft. 'Toriaezu nama' = 'a draft to start' is the classic izakaya opener.
nama biiru
draft beer
'Nama' = draft/fresh. The default izakaya beer.
nihonshu / sake
sake (rice wine)
Note: 'sake' to staff can mean alcohol generally — say 'nihonshu' for rice wine. Atsukan = hot, reishu = chilled.
shouchuu
shochu (distilled spirit)
Stronger than sake. Drunk straight, on rocks, or mixed.
haibooru
highball (whisky + soda)
Hugely popular, crisp, lower-key than beer. Very common izakaya order.
chuuhai / sawaa
shochu soda (often fruit)
Lemon sour (remon sawaa) is the go-to. Refreshing, fruity, light.
sofuto dorinku
soft drinks
Menu heading for non-alcoholic. Cola, juice, etc.
juusu
juice / soft drink
In casual use can mean any sweet soft drink, not just fruit juice.
koohii
coffee
Hotto = hot, aisu = iced. 'Aisu koohii' is a fine summer order.
nomihoudai
all-you-can-drink
Fixed-price unlimited drinks for a time window. Common izakaya/party deal.

Tastes & textures

Useful for asking what something is like, or describing what you want. 'Karai desu ka?' = 'Is it spicy?'

karai
spicy / hot
Also means 'salty' in some contexts. 'Karai desu ka?' to check spice level.
amai
sweet
Many Japanese savory sauces are slightly sweet.
shoppai
salty
Casual word for salty taste.
suppai
sour
As in vinegared or citrusy dishes.
nigai
bitter
E.g. some vegetables, matcha.
umami / umai
savory / tasty
Umami = the savory 'fifth taste'. 'Umai!' = 'delicious!' (casual).
assari
light / refreshing
Light, clean flavor. Ask for 'assari' broth if you want it less heavy.
kotteri
rich / heavy
Thick, fatty, intense — opposite of assari. Tonkotsu is kotteri.
aburakkoi
oily / greasy
Useful if something's too rich for you.
sakusaku
crispy / crunchy
Onomatopoeia for crisp texture, like good tempura.
mochimochi
chewy / springy
Pleasant chewiness — udon, mochi, fresh noodles.
atatakai
warm / hot (food)
For food temperature. 'Atsui' (hot) works too but can mean 'too hot'.
tsumetai
cold
For drinks and cold dishes like zaru soba.

Dietary & allergies

HONEST WARNING: strict vegetarian/vegan is hard in Japan. Dashi (fish/bonito stock) is in miso soup, most broths, simmered veg, and many sauces — even 'vegetable' dishes. State your need clearly AND assume traces unless confirmed. For real allergies, get it in writing or use a card; cross-contamination is common.

bejitarian desu
I'm vegetarian
States it, but staff may not grasp that dashi/fish stock counts. Follow up specifically.
viigan desu
I'm vegan
Less widely understood. Big cities have vegan spots; elsewhere, expect difficulty.
niku ga taberaremasen
I can't eat meat
Clear and direct. 'Niku' = meat (beef/pork/chicken).
butaniku
pork
'Butaniku wa taberaremasen' = 'I can't eat pork'. Hidden in tonkotsu, gyoza, lard.
gyuuniku
beef
Use with 'wa taberaremasen' to exclude it.
toriniku
chicken
Common in broths and karaage.
sakana / gyokai
fish / seafood
Gyokai = seafood broadly. Dashi is fish-based — ask 'dashi wa sakana desu ka?'.
dashi
soup stock (usually fish/bonito)
The hidden ingredient everywhere. 'Katsuo dashi' = bonito; 'konbu dashi' = kelp (vegan-ok).
arerugii ga arimasu
I have an allergy
'___ no arerugii ga arimasu' = 'I'm allergic to ___'. Pair with the specific food word.
tamago
egg
Common allergen. In tempura batter, mayo, many dishes.
nyuuseihin
dairy
Less common in traditional food but present in Western-style dishes.
komugi
wheat / gluten
In ramen, udon, soy sauce, tempura batter. Hard to avoid.
soba
buckwheat
Serious allergen in Japan — even soba-cooking steam matters. Same word as the noodle.
rakkasei / piinattsu
peanut
Specify if allergic. Less central to Japanese cooking but present.
koukakurui
shellfish / crustaceans
Shrimp (ebi), crab (kani). Common in tempura, broths, dashi.
kore ni ___ wa haitte imasu ka
Does this contain ___?
The key safety question. Fill the blank with the food word.
___ nuki de onegai shimasu
Without ___, please
'Nuki' = leave out. E.g. 'negi nuki' = no green onion. Works for simple removals.

Ordering words

The phrases that move a meal along. 'Sumimasen' is your magic word — it gets the staff's attention AND means 'excuse me / thank you'.

sumimasen
excuse me / to call staff
Say it (or raise a hand) to flag down a server. Most-used word in any restaurant.
menyuu o kudasai
Menu, please
Many places have picture menus or English ones — ask 'eigo no menyuu wa arimasu ka?'.
kore o kudasai
This one, please
Point at the menu/photo. The beginner's best friend.
osusume wa nan desu ka
What do you recommend?
Great for discovering the house specialty.
___ o onegai shimasu
I'll have ___, please
Slightly more polite than 'kudasai'. Fill blank with the dish name.
chuumon ii desu ka
Can I order?
To signal you're ready to order.
hitotsu / futatsu
one / two (items)
Counting things: hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu (3), yottsu (4). 'Kore o futatsu' = two of these.
betsubetsu de / issho de
separate bills / one bill
Often bills aren't split — paying together is the norm. Ask if needed.
o-kaikei onegai shimasu
The check, please
You usually pay at the front register, not the table. 'Okaikei' or 'o-kanjou' both work.
genkin / kaado
cash / card
'Kaado wa tsukaemasu ka?' = 'Can I use a card?'. Cash still rules at many small shops.
teiku-auto / mochikaeri
takeout / to go
'Mochikaeri de' = 'to take away'. 'Tennai de' = 'to eat in'.
itadakimasu
(said before eating)
Said before you eat — 'I gratefully receive'. A nice habit; locals appreciate it.
gochisousama deshita
(said after eating, = thanks for the meal)
Say it to staff on the way out. Polite and warmly received.
oishikatta desu
It was delicious
A genuine compliment that always lands well. 'Oishii desu' = 'it's delicious' (present).
o-mizu o mou ippai kudasai
One more glass of water, please
'Mou ippai' = one more (cupful). Swap in 'biiru' etc. for refills.