にんじん
ninjin
The Japanese word for carrot is にんじん (ninjin).
にんじん refers to the vegetable Daucus carota ssp. Sativus. It is used in various culinary contexts, such as in Ninjin sunomono, which is a salad made from thinly sliced carrots marinated in a vinegar-based dressing or in Korokke, which are Japanese-style croquettes that often include diced carrots. You can also find it in Gobo-ninjin no kinpira, a dish featuring carrots and burdock root stir-fried together.
Meaning: Daucus carota ssp. sativus (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase ninjin no fukuro (bag of carrots), no means 'of' and fukuro means 'bag'.
How do you pronounce it?
ninjin
Did you know?
- If you see the word 人参 in a pharmacy or a traditional medicine shop, it might actually refer to 'ginseng' rather than the orange vegetable.
- Japanese cuisine often uses a technique called katsura-muki to shave a にんじん into a perfectly thin, translucent sheet of a specific width.
- In Japanese children's songs and stories, carrots are often personified with the phrase にんじんさん (Mr. Carrot) to make the vegetable sound friendly.
Examples in context
- にんじんを一つ買いました。ninjin o hitotsu kaimashita.I bought one carrot.
- にんじんを切ってください。ninjin o kitte kudasai.Please cut the carrot.
- にんじんのスープはとても美味しいです。ninjin no suupu wa totemo oishii desu.The carrot soup is very delicious.
Example conversation
Kenta and Misaki are preparing dinner in the kitchen.
- 健太 Kenta美咲さん、にんじんはありますか？Misaki-san, ninjin wa arimasu ka?Misaki, do we have any carrots?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、冷蔵庫にありますよ。Hai, reizouko ni arimasu yo.Yes, they are in the refrigerator.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、にんじんを洗ってきます。Jaa, ninjin o aratte kimasu.Then, I will go wash the carrots.
- 美咲 Misakiお願いします、健太さん。Onegaishimasu, Kenta-san.Please do, Kenta.
