チーズ
chīzu[t͡ɕiːzɨ]
The English word "cheese" is translated into Japanese as チーズ (chīzu). Wiktionary also lists 酪 (raku) and 乾酪 (kanraku).
Meaning: dairy product (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| チーズ | chīzu | [t͡ɕiːzɨ] (narrow) |
| 酪 | raku | [ɾa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 乾酪 | kanraku | [kã̠n̺ɾa̠kɯ̟] (narrow) |
チーズ refers to the common dairy product. It is also used as an interjection when prompting people to smile for a photograph.
Which one should you use?
酪 and 乾酪 are also related to the concept of cheese or dairy.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
chīzu
When do people say it?
When taking a photograph, it is common to say はい、チーズ to encourage subjects to smile.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the term 乾酪 literally translates to 'dried milk', reflecting the ancient perception of cheese as a preserved form of milk.
- The character 酪 first appeared in Japanese records in 1283, centuries before Western-style cheese became a staple of the Japanese diet.
- In Japanese culture, the phrase はい、チーズ is not just used for people, but is frequently said to pets to get them to look at the camera.
Examples in context
- はい、チーズ。Say cheese.This example shows how to use チーズ as a prompt for smiling before a photo.Tatoeba #2405953 by bunbuku, translation #1852269 by CK
- チーズ食べたの誰？Who ate the cheese?This example uses チーズ to ask a question about who ate it.Tatoeba #8861339 by bunbuku, translation #8543455 by lucasmg123
- チーズが食べたいな。I want to eat cheese.This example expresses a desire to eat チーズ.Tatoeba #8661292 by small_snow, translation #7156634 by Kiwi
- 私はチーズが大好きです。I really love cheese.
- チーズが大好き！I love cheese!
- チーズをくださいPlease give me cheese.
- チーズが入っていますか？Does it contain cheese?
- チーズ好きな人Someone who likes cheese.
- 114 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Hiroto are deciding what to put on their pizza.
- 美咲 Misakiピザにチーズを追加しましょうか？Piza ni chīzu o tsuika shimashō ka?Shall we add cheese to the pizza?
- 大翔 Hirotoいいですね。たくさん入れてください。Ii desu ne. Takusan irete kudasai.That sounds good. Please put lots of it.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さんはどのチーズが好きですか？Hiroto-san wa dono chīzu ga suki desu ka?Which cheese do you like, Hiroto?
- 大翔 Hiroto僕はモッツァレラチーズが一番好きです。Boku wa mottsarera chīzu ga ichiban suki desu.I like mozzarella cheese the most.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cheese” translations and entries チーズ, 酪, 乾酪, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries チーズ, 酪, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
