牛肉
gyūniku[ɡʲɨːɲ̟ikɯ̟]
The English word "beef" is translated into Japanese as 牛肉 (gyūniku). Wiktionary also lists ビーフ (bīfu).
Meaning: meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 牛肉 | gyūniku | [ɡʲɨːɲ̟ikɯ̟] (narrow) |
| ビーフ | bīfu | [bʲiːɸɯ̟] (narrow) |
You will also see it as a component of other food names, such as in gyūdon, which refers to a beef bowl.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 牛肉 is composed of the kanji 牛 (cow/ox) and 肉 (meat).
Which one should you use?
牛肉 (gyūniku) is the standard Japanese word for beef. In contrast, ビーフ (bīfu) is a loanword from English that is typically used in specific culinary contexts, such as when describing "hamburger beef" or "beef stew."
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The katakana form ビーフ is primarily used in menu names or to sound more modern or Westernized in a restaurant setting.
How do you pronounce it?
gyūniku
Did you know?
- The kanji 牛 (gyū/ushi) is also used in the names of certain zodiac signs, linking the word for beef to the concept of the ox in the lunar calendar.
- The term 'Wagyu' is often used in English to describe high-quality beef, but in Japanese, it simply means 'Japanese-style' cattle, not necessarily a specific brand or cut.
- In Japanese supermarkets, you might see beef described by its grade, such as 'A5', which is a ranking system much more central to Japanese meat culture than to Western English-speaking countries.
Examples in context
- 牛肉は高い。Beef is expensive.This sentence is useful for expressing that 牛肉 is expensive.Tatoeba #9192045 by small_snow, translation #9192040 by CK
- 牛肉にしてください。Beef, please.This sentence is useful for ordering 牛肉.Tatoeba #182303 by bunbuku, translation #19483 by CK
- この牛肉は柔らかい。This beef is tender.This sentence is useful for describing the texture of 牛肉.Tatoeba #222376 by bunbuku, translation #59703 by CK
- 27 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- 健太 Kenta今日の夕食は牛肉が食べたいな。Kyō no yūshoku wa gyūniku ga tabetai na.I want to eat beef for dinner today.
- 陽葵 Himariじゃあ、牛肉の炒め物を作ろうか。Jā, gyūniku no itamemono o tsukurō ka.Then, shall I make a beef stir-fry?
- 健太 Kentaいいよ、楽しみにしてるね。Ii yo, tanoshimi ni shiteru ne.Sounds good, I'm looking forward to it.
- 陽葵 Himari冷蔵庫に牛肉があるから大丈夫だよ。Reizōko ni gyūniku ga aru kara daijōbu da yo.It's fine because there is beef in the refrigerator.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “beef” translations and entries 牛肉, ビーフ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
