JLPT N5 Japanese Food Vocabulary
The 30 most useful Japanese food words at JLPT N5, with kana, romaji, and short usage notes.
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Why this list
Japanese food vocabulary at the N5 level is mostly two-syllable native words plus a handful of common loanwords (パン, コーヒー). You'll see most of these on every restaurant menu in Japan and in any beginner Japanese textbook.
Sort priority: foods you'll see daily, then drinks, then meal-related verbs. Skip the rare items until you can name everything on this list without thinking.
The 30 words
| Kanji | Kana | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| ご飯 | ごはん | gohan | rice (cooked); meal |
| パン | パン | pan | bread |
| 肉 | にく | niku | meat |
| 魚 | さかな | sakana | fish |
| 卵 | たまご | tamago | egg |
| 野菜 | やさい | yasai | vegetables |
| 果物 | くだもの | kudamono | fruit |
| 牛乳 | ぎゅうにゅう | gyūnyū | milk |
| 水 | みず | mizu | water |
| お茶 | おちゃ | ocha | tea (green) |
| コーヒー | コーヒー | kōhī | coffee |
| ジュース | ジュース | jūsu | juice |
| ビール | ビール | bīru | beer |
| お酒 | おさけ | osake | alcohol; sake |
| りんご | りんご | ringo | apple |
| みかん | みかん | mikan | mandarin orange |
| バナナ | バナナ | banana | banana |
| 朝ご飯 | あさごはん | asagohan | breakfast |
| 昼ご飯 | ひるごはん | hirugohan | lunch |
| 晩ご飯 | ばんごはん | bangohan | dinner |
| 食べる | たべる | taberu | to eat |
| 飲む | のむ | nomu | to drink |
| 美味しい | おいしい | oishii | delicious |
| 甘い | あまい | amai | sweet |
| 辛い | からい | karai | spicy |
| 塩 | しお | shio | salt |
| 砂糖 | さとう | satō | sugar |
| 醤油 | しょうゆ | shōyu | soy sauce |
| レストラン | レストラン | resutoran | restaurant |
| メニュー | メニュー | menyū | menu |
Common questions
How do I order food in Japanese?+
Use [item] をください ([item] o kudasai), 'please give me X'. For two of something: [item] を二つください. The waiter typically responds with かしこまりました (kashikomarimashita), 'understood'.
Why does ご飯 mean both rice and meal?+
Rice was the historical core of every meal in Japan, so ご飯 came to stand for 'a meal' generally. 朝ご飯 (breakfast), 昼ご飯 (lunch), 晩ご飯 (dinner) all literally include the word for rice.
Is お necessary on words like お茶 and お酒?+
It softens and adds politeness. Native speakers almost always include it; saying 茶 alone sounds blunt. For beginner safety, always use the お form unless you specifically know it's optional.
Related
These 30 words are part of this site's themed N5 editorial selection. Inku's mobile app expands that into a 551-card N5 bundle with bundled pronunciation audio and FSRS spaced review. Download Inku.
