Japanese word

菓子

Pronunciation

Romajikashi

Meaning

  • nounsweets

Example

お店で菓子を買います。o mise de ka shi o ka i ma su

I buy sweets at the store.

Illustration for 菓子 (sweets)

More examples

食後に菓子を食べることがあります。shoku go ni ka shi o ta be ru ko to ga a ri ma su

Sometimes I eat sweets after a meal.

Core concept

Describes prepared food enjoyed for sweetness or as a light snack between regular meals.

Common phrases

  • 菓子を買うka shi o ka u

    buy sweets

  • 菓子を食べるka shi o ta be ru

    eat sweets

  • 菓子をもらうka shi o mo ra u

    receive sweets

  • 菓子を配るka shi o kuba ru

    hand out sweets

Similar words

お菓子okashi: A common everyday term for sweet foods and snack foods.
おやつoyatsu: A snack eaten between regular meals rather than as part of a main meal.
スイーツsuītsu: A term for sweet foods such as desserts and baked treats.

Definition in Japanese

甘味を中心とする、食事とは別に食べる軽い食べ物。ama mi o chū shin to su ru shoku ji to wa betsu ni ta be ru karu i ta be mono

Word origin

菓子 (kashi, "sweets") is a Sino-Japanese compound of 菓 (ka, "fruit") and 子 (shi, "thing"), with its meaning developing toward prepared sweet foods.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Japanese, お菓子 (okashi, "sweets") covers many treats, including baked goods and packaged snacks, so it is broader than the English word candy.

Related words

  • 菓子類kashiruiconfectionerynoun

Word lists with this word