ココナッツ
kokonattsu[ko̞ko̞na̠t̚t͡sɨ]
The English word "coconut" can be translated into Japanese as ココナッツ (kokonattsu) or 椰子の実.
Meaning: fruit of coco palm (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ココナッツ | kokonattsu | [ko̞ko̞na̠t̚t͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| 椰子の実 | yashi no mi |
The word refers to the fruit of the coco palm.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 椰子の実 is a literal description made of 椰子, meaning "palm tree" and 実, meaning "fruit".
Which one should you use?
ココナッツ is a loanword and is commonly used when referring to food and various flavors. In contrast, 椰子の実 is a more descriptive, native Japanese term used for the actual fruit itself.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can refer to coconut water using either Kokonattsu no mizu or ココナッツの水, and coconut oil is called Kokonattsu no abura.
How do you pronounce it?
kokonattsu
Did you know?
- The kanji 実 (mi) used in 椰子の実 is the same character used for 'truth' or 'reality', though its meaning changes based on the context.
- In Japanese cooking, coconut milk is often called ココナッツミルク rather than using the native word for milk 牛乳, which specifically means cow's milk.
- While ココナッツ is a loanword, the kanji for palm tree 椰 is not part of the common daily use list and is often written in kana as やし.
Examples in context
- タコが、ココナッツの殻に身を潜めている。The octopus is hiding in a coconut shell.This sentence shows how to use ココナッツ to describe a coconut shell.Tatoeba #11563264 by small_snow, translation #7813019 by sharris123
- 「アイス買ったんだけど、食べたい？」「何アイス？」「えっとねぇ、ココナッツ・チョコかラムレーズン」「じゃぁ、俺、ココナッツ・チョコで」「毎度あり、250円ね」「は？」「冗談よ。どうぞ」"I bought some ice cream, do you want some?" "What kind?" "Uh, either chocolate coconut or rum raisin." "OK, I'll have the chocolate coconut." "Thank you for your purchase. That'll be 250 yen." "What?" "Just kidding. Here."This dialogue illustrates the use of ココナッツ in the context of a flavor for ice cream.Tatoeba #10889799 by small_snow, translation #10897493 by end
- ココナッツミルクが飲みたい。I want to drink coconut milk.This sentence demonstrates how to use ココナッツ when talking about coconut milk.Tatoeba #1749199 by mookeee, translation #1487415 by marshmallowcat
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are looking at the menu in a cafe.
- 結衣 Yuiこのココナッツのケーキ、おいしそう！Kono kokonattsu no kēki, oishisō!This coconut cake looks delicious!
- 健太 Kenta本当だね。僕もココナッツの香りが好きだよ。Hontō da ne. Boku mo kokonattsu no kaori ga suki da yo.You're right. I like the scent of coconut, too.
- 結衣 Yuiじゃあ、これを注文しようか。Jā, kore o chūmon shiyō ka.Then, shall we order this?
- 健太 Kentaうん、そうしよう。Un, sō shiyō.Yeah, let's do that.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coconut” translations and entries ココナッツ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
