お団子
odango[o̞dã̠ŋɡo̞]
The English phrase "buns" can be translated into Japanese as お団子 (odango).
In a general sense, お団子 refers to small, round pieces of baked bread or steamed dough. Depending on the specific type of bun you are describing, other terms may be more precise. For example, パン is the general term for bread, while あんパン specifically refers to a red bean bun. If you are referring to a traditional Japanese confection filled with sweet bean paste, the term まんじゅう is typically used.
How do you pronounce it?
odango
Did you know?
- While お団子 refers to many types of round dumplings, it is also used in Japanese to describe a hairstyle where the hair is tied up into a bun. This mirrors how English speakers use the word 'bun' for both bread and hair.
- If you are specifically looking for Western-style bread buns, you should use the loanword パン instead of お団子. Using お団子 for a hamburger bun would confuse a Japanese speaker, as they would expect a chewy, glutinous texture.
- In Japanese, the prefix お in お団子 is an honorific used to add a sense of politeness or refinement. This is common when discussing traditional sweets or when being particularly polite in a shop.
Examples in context
- お店でロールパンを買ってきてください。Please buy some buns at the store.
- あんパンが食べたいです。I want to eat red bean buns.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are visiting a traditional Japanese sweets shop.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、お団子はいかがですか？Misaki, odango wa ikaga desu ka?Misaki, would you like some buns?
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね。買いましょう！Ii desu ne. Kaimashou!That sounds good. Let's buy some!
- 蓮 Renどのお団子がおすすめかな。Dono odango ga osusume kana.I wonder which buns are recommended.
- 美咲 Misaki私はみたらしお団子がいいです。Watashi wa mitarashi odango ga ii desu.I want the soy-glazed buns.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry お団子, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries お団子, CC BY-SA 4.0.
