Japanese Conversation · Level 3
86 words
Japanese word
みかん
Pronunciation
Romajimikan
Meaning
- nounmandarin orange
Example
みかんを二つ食べます。mi ka n o futa tsu ta be ma su
I eat two mandarin oranges.
More examples
冬はこたつでみかんを食べます。fuyu wa ko ta tsu de mi ka n o ta be ma su
In winter, I eat mandarin oranges under the kotatsu.
Core concept
Describes a familiar citrus fruit that is small, sweet, and usually eaten by peeling it by hand.
Common phrases
みかんをむくmi ka n o mu ku
peel a mandarin orange
みかんの皮mi ka n no kawa
mandarin orange peel
Definition in Japanese
甘くて酸味があり、手で皮をむいて食べることが多い小さな柑橘類の果実。ama ku te san mi ga a ri te de kawa o mu i te ta be ru ko to ga ō i chii sa na kan kitsu rui no ka jitsu
Word origin
みかん (mikan) is written as 蜜柑 (mikan), combining 蜜 (mitsu, "honey") with 柑 (kan, "citrus") to suggest a sweet citrus fruit.
Usage tips
- The English term mandarin covers several related citrus varieties, including satsumas, while みかん (mikan) commonly refers to the familiar easy-peeling fruit sold in Japan.
Other meanings
- tangerinenoun
- satsumanoun