Want to cook Japanese food or understand recipes? This guide covers essential cooking vocabulary — ingredients, methods, and kitchen tools — for practical use.
At a Glance: Cooking Methods
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 焼く | やく (yaku) | Grill / bake / pan-fry |
| 煮る | にる (niru) | Simmer / boil (in broth) |
| 揚げる | あげる (ageru) | Deep-fry |
| 蒸す | むす (musu) | Steam |
| 炒める | いためる (itameru) | Stir-fry / sauté |
| 切る | きる (kiru) | Cut / slice |
| 混ぜる | まぜる (mazeru) | Mix / stir |
| 茹でる | ゆでる (yuderu) | Boil (in water) |
Key Ingredient Words
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 醤油 | しょうゆ (shouyu) | Soy sauce |
| 味噌 | みそ (miso) | Miso paste |
| 出汁 | だし (dashi) | Stock / broth |
| みりん | mirin | Sweet rice wine (cooking) |
| 酒 | さけ (sake) | Cooking sake |
| ごま油 | ごまあぶら (goma abura) | Sesame oil |
Kitchen Tools
• 包丁 (ほうちょう, houchou) — kitchen knife | 鍋 (なべ, nabe) — pot | フライパン (furaipan) — frying pan | まな板 (manaita) — cutting board | お玉 (otama) — ladle | ざる (zaru) — colander
Recipe Instruction Verbs
薄切りにする — slice thinly | みじん切りにする — mince finely | 皮をむく — peel the skin | 火を止める — turn off the heat | 弱火で煮る — simmer on low heat | 塩をふる — sprinkle with salt
YukaWhat’s the difference between 煮る and 茹でる? Both seem like boiling.
Rei茹でる = boiling in plain water (pasta, eggs, vegetables). 煮る = simmering in a seasoned liquid — like soy sauce broth. Japanese recipes use both precisely, so pay attention!
YukaAnd 焼く — does it always mean grilling?
ReiNot exactly! 焼く covers grilling, pan-frying, and baking. 肉を焼く = grill meat. パンを焼く = bake bread. 卵を焼く = fry an egg. The context tells you the specific cooking method.
5 Practice Sentences
| # | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 野菜を細かく切ってください。 | Please chop the vegetables finely. |
| 2 | 醤油とみりんを混ぜます。 | Mix the soy sauce and mirin. |
| 3 | 弱火で10分煮てください。 | Please simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. |
| 4 | 油で野菜を炒めます。 | Stir-fry the vegetables in oil. |
| 5 | パスタを茹でている間にソースを作ります。 | While boiling the pasta, I’ll make the sauce. |
Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Correct | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Using 沸かす for simmering | 煮る | 沸かす (wakasu) = bring to a full boil; 煮る = simmer in broth |
| Confusing 揚げる (deep-fry) and 上げる (raise) | Context and kanji | 揚げる uses different kanji — check writing when reading recipes |
Quick Quiz
1. What verb means to stir-fry? → 炒める (itameru)
2. What is だし (dashi)? → Stock or broth (the base liquid for Japanese soups)
3. How do you say “simmer on low heat”? → 弱火で煮る
Practice in the Comments!
Try using one of today’s words in your own sentence and post it in the comments! Join the Top Commenters ranking!
Keep Learning: Vocabulary Hub | Food Vocabulary | Restaurant Vocabulary
📖 Want to take your Japanese further? Practice speaking with a professional Japanese tutor on italki — affordable 1-on-1 online lessons at your own pace.
Comments