クリーム
kurīmu[kɯ̟ɾʲiːmɯ̟]
In Japanese, the word for cream is クリーム (kurīmu).
クリーム is a noun used to refer to the fatty part of milk. When referring specifically to soft serve ice cream, the standard term used is ソフトクリーム. In informal situations, you can add nama before クリーム to indicate that you are talking about fresh cream (nama kuriimu).
Meaning: fatty part of milk (noun)
Which one should you use?
To express the action of creaming vegetables, you use the phrase クリーム状にする.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
kurīmu
Did you know?
- While クリーム refers to the dairy product, its phonetic twin クレーム (kurēmu) actually means a 'complaint' or 'claim' in Japanese. You might find yourself in a situation where you are mistaken for talking about dairy when you actually meant to complain.
- In Japanese, the word クリーム is often used as a loanword for 'lotion' or 'moisturizer' in the context of skincare. A person might ask for a 'hand cream' (hando kuriimu) rather than using a native Japanese term for skin ointment.
- Because クリーム is a loanword, it is often used in Japanese marketing to make a product sound more Western or high-end. Using 'cream' in a product name can evoke a sense of luxury that a traditional Japanese term might lack.
Examples in context
- ソフトクリーム食べたい。I want to eat soft serve ice cream.This sentence is useful for expressing a desire to eat soft serve ice cream using クリーム.Tatoeba #3190620 by tommy_san, translation #3195500 by Tappity
- 夏はアイスクリームに限る。There is nothing like ice cream in the summer.This sentence shows how to use クリーム when saying nothing compares to ice cream in the summer.Tatoeba #187212 by small_snow, translation #24349 by CC
- アイスクリームが食べたい。I want to eat ice cream.Tatoeba #2067066 by bunbuku, translation #1370839 by TuckingFypo
- クリームをのせたケーキをお願いします。Please give me a cake with cream.
- 乳製品フリーのクリームはありますか？Do you have dairy-free cream?
- 78 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A cafe where Misaki and Hiroto are looking at the menu.
- 美咲 Misakiこのケーキ、クリームがたっぷり入ってるね。Kono kēki, kurīmu ga tappuri haitteru ne.This cake has plenty of cream in it, doesn't it?
- 大翔 Hiroto本当だ、美咲、すごく美味しそうだね。Hontō da, Misaki, sugoku oishisō da ne.You're right, Misaki, it looks delicious.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔は、生クリームは好き？Hiroto wa, namakurīmu wa suki?Hiroto, do you like whipped cream?
- 大翔 Hiroto大好きだよ。注文しよう。Daisuki da yo. Chūmon shiyō.I love it. Let's order it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cream” translations and entries クリーム, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries クリーム, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
