Japanese word

肉

Pronunciation

Romajiniku

Meaning

  • nounmeat

Example

肉をください。niku o ku da sa i

Please give me some meat.

Illustration for 肉 (meat)

More examples

この店では肉を使った料理が人気です。ko no mise de wa niku o tsuka tta ryō ri ga nin ki de su

Dishes made with meat are popular at this restaurant.

Core concept

Refers to animal flesh considered as food, whether raw, cooked, or processed.

Common phrases

  • 肉を食べるniku o ta be ru

    eat meat

  • 肉を焼くniku o ya ku

    grill meat

  • 肉を買うniku o ka u

    buy meat

Similar words

食肉shokuniku: Animal flesh intended for use as food, especially in formal contexts.
肉類nikurui: A collective term for various kinds of meat eaten as food.

Definition in Japanese

食用にする動物の筋肉やその加工品。shoku yō ni su ru dō butsu no kin niku ya so no ka kō hin

Word origin

The Japanese word 肉 (niku, "meat") is a Sino-Japanese word borrowed from Middle Chinese 肉, which has the same meaning.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, 肉 (niku) can stand alone when the kind of meat is clear from the context, such as at a meal.

Related words

  • 肉屋nikuyameat shopnoun
  • 肉質nikushitsumeat qualitynoun

Word lists with this word