Japanese word

具

Pronunciation

Romajigu

Meaning

  • nouningredient

Example

スープの具を切ります。sū pu no gu o ki ri ma su

I cut the ingredients for the soup.

Illustration for 具 (ingredient)

More examples

おにぎりの具は梅干しです。o ni gi ri no gu wa ume bo shi de su

The rice ball has a pickled plum filling.

Core concept

It refers to what gives a dish its added substance, including ingredients mixed through it and fillings placed inside it.

Common phrases

  • 具が多いgu ga ō i

    have lots of ingredients

  • 具を入れるgu o i re ru

    add ingredients

  • 具を選ぶgu o era bu

    choose ingredients

Similar words

材料zairyō: A substance or item used to prepare a dish.
食材shokuzai: An edible food item selected for cooking.
中身nakami: The contents placed inside a food such as a rice ball or pastry.

Definition in Japanese

料理や汁物の中に入っている食材や、食べ物の中に詰める材料。ryō ri ya shiru mono no naka ni hai tte i ru shoku zai ya ta be mono no naka ni tsu me ru zai ryō

Word origin

The noun 具 (gu, "dish component") is a Sino-Japanese use of 具, a character related to furnishing or supplying; in Japanese, it came to mean material added to complete a dish.

Usage tips

  • Japanese menus may describe a meal as 具だくさん (gudakusan, "full of ingredients"), meaning that it contains plenty of substantial pieces rather than mostly liquid or rice.

Other meanings

  • fillingnoun

Word lists with this word