Japanese word

好物

Pronunciation

Romajikōbutsu

Meaning

  • nounfavorite food

Example

妹の好物はパンです。imōto no kō butsu wa pa n de su

My sister's favorite food is bread.

Illustration for 好物 (favorite food)

More examples

料理人は客の好物を覚えています。ryō ri nin wa kyaku no kō butsu o obo e te i ma su

The chef remembers the customer's favorite food.

Core concept

Describes food that a person has a strong personal preference for, whether it is a single dish or a wider category.

Common phrases

  • 好物を食べるkō butsu o ta be ru

    eat one's favorite food

  • 好物を聞くkō butsu o ki ku

    ask about one's favorite food

Similar words

大好物daikōbutsu: A food or type of food that a person or animal likes best.

Definition in Japanese

その人が特に好んで食べる食べ物。so no hito ga toku ni kono n de ta be ru ta be mono

Word origin

好物 (kōbutsu) is formed from 好 (kō, "fondness") and 物 (butsu, "thing"), so its literal structure means "a liked thing" and its common food sense means a favorite food.

Usage tips

  • Japanese uses 好物 (kōbutsu) for animals as well as people, including an animal's preferred food.

Word lists with this word