eat, food

About this kanji

The kanji 食 primarily means "to eat" or "food." It is often used as a noun, referring to meals or food items, and as a verb for the action of eating. Common compounds include 飲食 (いんしょく), which means "food and drink;" 給食 (きゅうしょく), referring to the "provision of lunch" usually in schools or offices; and 食事 (しょくじ), meaning "meal." Note that 食堂 (しょくどう) is the word for a "dining room," a place where people gather to eat. This kanji is used widely in different contexts, making it essential for anyone interested in Japanese culture and daily life.

Example sentences

• この食事はとても美味しい。

  This meal is very delicious.

Meanings across languages

English

eat, food

Tiếng Việt

ăn

日本語

食べる

한국어

먹다

中文

吃

id

makan, makanan

th

กิน, อาหาร

es

comer, alimento

fr

manger, nourriture

de

essen, Nahrung

pt

comer, alimento

Common compounds

• 飲食いんしょくfood and drink, eating and drinking
• 給食きゅうしょくprovision of lunch (e.g. at office, school, etc.), providing a meal, lunch service
• 食事しょくじmeal (e.g. lunch, dinner), diet
• 食堂しょくどうdining room, dining hall, cafeteria
• 食品しょくひんfood, food products, foodstuffs
• 食料しょくりょうfood
• 食糧しょくりょうfood (esp. staple food such as rice or wheat), provisions, rations
• 朝食ちょうしょくbreakfast