Whether you’re preparing for the JLPT, shopping at a Japanese supermarket, or trying out a new recipe, knowing the names of vegetables in Japanese is incredibly helpful. This complete guide covers over 20 essential Japanese vegetable words with meanings, hiragana, romaji, and real-life example sentences to boost your fluency and confidence.
🥕 Why Learn Japanese Vegetable Vocabulary?
Vegetables, or 野菜（やさい・yasai）, are a common part of everyday life. From reading grocery labels to ordering at a restaurant, these words pop up everywhere in Japan. For JLPT N5/N4 learners and expats, vegetable vocabulary is essential for both language and lifestyle integration.
- 🛒 Helps with food shopping and reading menus
- 🍲 Useful for cooking and understanding ingredients
- 🗣 Expands everyday conversation skills
- 📝 Common in JLPT N5-N3 level exams
🥬 Complete Japanese Vegetable Vocabulary List
The table below features commonly used vegetables in Japan along with their hiragana, romaji, English meaning, and example sentences to help with usage in real life.
| Japanese | Hiragana | Romaji | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 野菜 | やさい | yasai | vegetable | 野菜が好きです。– I like vegetables. |
| 人参 | にんじん | ninjin | carrot | 人参をスープに入れました。– I added carrots to the soup. |
| 玉ねぎ | たまねぎ | tamanegi | onion | 玉ねぎを炒めます。– I stir-fry onions. |
| じゃがいも | じゃがいも | jagaimo | potato | じゃがいもは料理に欠かせません。– Potatoes are essential in cooking. |
| キャベツ | きゃべつ | kyabetsu | cabbage | キャベツを千切りにします。– I shred the cabbage. |
| トマト | とまと | tomato | tomato | トマトはサラダに使います。– I use tomatoes in salad. |
| きゅうり | きゅうり | kyuuri | cucumber | きゅうりを薄く切ってください。– Please slice the cucumber thinly. |
| ナス | なす | nasu | eggplant | ナスの天ぷらが好きです。– I like eggplant tempura. |
| 大根 | だいこん | daikon | Japanese radish | 大根おろしを添えました。– I added grated daikon. |
| ほうれん草 | ほうれんそう | hourensou | spinach | ほうれん草は栄養があります。– Spinach is nutritious. |
| レタス | れたす | retasu | lettuce | レタスを洗ってください。– Please wash the lettuce. |
| ピーマン | ぴーまん | piiman | green pepper | ピーマンは炒め物に使います。– Green peppers are used in stir-fry. |
| ブロッコリー | ぶろっこりー | burokkorii | broccoli | ブロッコリーを茹でました。– I boiled the broccoli. |
| カリフラワー | かりふらわー | karifurawaa | cauliflower | カリフラワーはクリームシチューに合います。– Cauliflower goes well in cream stew. |
| かぼちゃ | かぼちゃ | kabocha | pumpkin | かぼちゃスープを作ります。– I’m making pumpkin soup. |
| ごぼう | ごぼう | gobou | burdock root | きんぴらごぼうが好きです。– I like kinpira gobou (burdock stir-fry). |
| にら | にら | nira | garlic chives | にらは餃子に使います。– Garlic chives are used in dumplings. |
| しょうが | しょうが | shouga | ginger | しょうがは風邪に良いです。– Ginger is good for colds. |
| ねぎ | ねぎ | negi | green onion | ねぎは味噌汁に欠かせません。– Green onions are essential in miso soup. |
| 枝豆 | えだまめ | edamame | green soybeans | 枝豆はおつまみに最高です。– Edamame is perfect as a snack. |
| とうもろこし | とうもろこし | toumorokoshi | corn | とうもろこしを焼いて食べました。– I grilled and ate corn. |
🧠 Tips to Remember Japanese Vegetable Words
Memorizing vocabulary can be easier if you follow a few smart techniques:
- 🛍 Go shopping in Japanese markets and read the labels.
- 📱 Use flashcard apps like Anki or Memrise.
- ✍️ Practice writing kanji for each vegetable.
- 🎧 Listen to cooking shows or YouTube channels in Japanese.
- 🗣 Practice saying them aloud when cooking or eating!
🇯🇵 Cultural Insight: Vegetables in Japanese Cuisine
Japanese cooking emphasizes freshness and seasonality. Many vegetables like daikon, nasu (eggplant), and negi (green onion) are used in nimono (simmered dishes), soups, or pickled as tsukemono. Understanding the vegetable vocabulary helps not only in language learning but also in appreciating the heart of Japanese home-cooking.
📘 Conclusion
Now you’re equipped with over 20 must-know vegetable names in Japanese. Whether you’re a language learner or living in Japan, these words will prove invaluable. Continue practicing them in real-life situations, and you’ll become more confident in both your vocabulary and your cultural understanding.
Want more vocabulary lists like this? Let us know, and we’ll create more themed lessons just for you!
