料理する
ryōri suru
To cook in Japanese is to say 料理する (ryōri suru) or 作る.
Meaning: to prepare food for eating (verb)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 料理する | ryōri suru | |
| 作る | tsukuru | [t͡sɨ̥kɯ̟ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
The English verb 'to cook' can be translated using two different Japanese verbs depending on whether you are talking about the concept of cooking or the act of preparing a specific meal.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 料理する is a combination of the noun 料理, meaning cooking or cuisine and the verb する, meaning to do. Literally, it means 'to do cooking'.
Which one should you use?
料理する is used when discussing cooking as a general activity, a hobby or the concept of cuisine. In contrast, 作る is more commonly used when referring to the specific act of making or cooking a particular meal or dish, such as 'making dinner'.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
ryōri suru
When do people say it?
A traditional way to address a sushi chef is itamae-san.
Did you know?
- While 作る means 'to cook' or 'to make', it is also used to describe the act of 'creating' a lie or a fake story in Japanese.
- The term itamae, used for sushi chefs, literally means 'in front of the board'. This refers to the traditional wooden counter where the chef prepares food directly before the customer.
- The word 料理 consists of two kanji: one meaning 'treatment' or 'cure' and another meaning 'material' or 'ingredient'.
Examples in context
- 料理するのは好き？Do you like to cook?This sentence uses 料理する to ask about cooking as an activity.Tatoeba #1452352 by bunbuku, translation #2010244 by CM
- たまに夕食作るよ。I sometimes cook dinner.This sentence uses 作る to describe the act of making a specific meal.Tatoeba #10776963 by bunbuku, translation #258163 by CK
- 今晩の夕食は俺が作るよ。I'll cook dinner tonight.This sentence uses 作る to express the intent of making a specific meal.Tatoeba #9189755 by small_snow, translation #9189401 by CK
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Himari are talking about their weekend plans.
- 蓮 Ren今度の休みは家で料理するよ。Kondo no yasumi wa ie de ryōri suru yo.I'm going to cook at home this coming holiday.
- 陽葵 Himariいいですね。何を作るの？Ii desu ne. Nani o tsukuru no?That sounds nice. What are you making?
- 蓮 Renパスタを料理するつもりだよ。Pasuta o ryōri suru tsumori da yo.I plan to cook some pasta.
- 陽葵 Himari楽しみにしてるね、蓮くん。Tanoshimi ni shiteru ne, Ren-kun.I'm looking forward to it, Ren.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cook” translations and entries 作る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
