焼く
yaku[ja̠kɯ̟]
The Japanese verb for "to bake" is 焼く (yaku).
While 焼く is the standard verb used when specifically referring to the process of baking bread or cakes in an oven, it is also a broad term. It can cover various cooking methods involving heat, such as grilling, roasting and even frying in certain contexts.
Meaning: to cook in an oven (verb)
Which one should you use?
焼く serves as a general term for various cooking methods including to bake, to grill, to roast, to toast and to fry.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past tense form of 焼く is 焼いた, meaning "baked" or "roasted". The negative form is 焼かない, meaning "not bake" or "not cook".
How do you pronounce it?
yaku
Did you know?
- The verb 焼く is used in the idiom 焼きが回る to describe someone who has lost their edge or grown old and frail.
- In a Buddhist funeral context, the same verb is used for the ritual act of burning incense, known as 焼香. This transforms the meaning from food preparation to a solemn religious ceremony.
- You can use the verb to describe a total catastrophe. The phrase 焼きつくす describes a place that has been completely destroyed or burned to the ground by fire.
Examples in context
- トムって、パンを焼くのが好きなんだよ。Tom likes to bake bread.This sentence is useful for expressing someone's hobby or preference regarding the form 焼く.Tatoeba #9576679 by small_snow, translation #9529004 by CK
- 厨房にはパンを焼くオーブンがあります。There is an oven to bake bread in the kitchen.This sentence shows how to describe the purpose of an oven using the form 焼く.Tatoeba #10455506 by small_snow, translation #4764609 by Stalwartlover
- 多くの人が、スポンジケーキを焼くのは難しいと考えている。しかしながら、十分な量の卵を使用すれば、実際何も失敗するようなことはない。Many people think that sponge cake is difficult to bake, but if you use enough eggs, nothing can really go wrong.This sentence discusses the perceived difficulty of using the form 焼く for sponge cake.Tatoeba #934587 by thyc244, translation #932881 by Fingerhut
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are in the kitchen making cookies.
- 結衣 Yuiクッキーを焼く準備はできた？Kukkii o yaku junbi wa dekita?Are you ready to bake the cookies?
- 蓮 Renうん、オーブンを温めておいたよ。Un, oobun o atatamete oita yo.Yeah, I warmed up the oven.
- 結衣 Yui蓮くん、材料を混ぜてくれる？Ren-kun, zairyou o mazete kureru?Ren, can you mix the ingredients?
- 蓮 Renいいよ、任せて。Ii yo, makasete.Sure, leave it to me.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bake” translations and entries 焼く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
