大根
daikon[o̞ːne̞]
The English phrase "daikon" is translated into Japanese as 大根. If unsure, use 大根. Wiktionary also lists 蘿蔔 (rafuku).
Meaning: large white radish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 大根 | daikon | [o̞ːne̞] (narrow) [da̠ikõ̞ɴ] (narrow) |
| 蘿蔔 | rafuku | [sɨzɨɕiɾo̞] (narrow) [ɾa̠ɸɯ̟kɯ̟] (narrow) |
大根 refers to the large white radish. You may encounter common culinary terms such as 大根おろし, which means grated daikon or 大根煮, which means simmered daikon.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 大根 is composed of two kanji: 大 (big) and 根 (root), literally meaning "large root".
How do you pronounce it?
daikon
Did you know?
- In the world of Japanese theater, a bad actor is called a 大根 because their performance is stiff and lifeless like a root vegetable.
- In Japanese, the word 大根 can also be used as a derogatory slang term to describe a person who is particularly slow-witted or dim-witted.
- In Japanese cooking, the juice of a 大根 is used as a natural digestive aid and is often served with heavy fried foods to help the stomach.
Examples in context
- 大根は人参より高いかもしれない。Daikon might be more expensive than the carrots.This sentence is useful for comparing the price of 大根 to carrots.Tatoeba #137561 by small_snow, translation #2241354 by JimBreen
- 大根と人参はイチョウ切り、他の野菜は一口大に切る。Cut the daikon radish and carrot into quarter slices and cut the other vegetables into bite-size pieces.This sentence is useful for describing how to cut 大根 into quarter slices.Tatoeba #889749 by bunbuku, translation #5270256 by Jesse
- 大根の皮も料理に使えるというが、農薬が心配なので捨ててしまうことが多い。I heard daikon skins can be used when cooking, but I'm worried about pesticides, so I usually throw them out.This sentence is useful for discussing how to use or discard the skin of 大根 when cooking.Tatoeba #1291614 by bunbuku, translation #11485050 by pip
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are grocery shopping together.
- 蓮 Ren大根を買おうか？Daikon o kaou ka?Shall we buy a daikon?
- 結衣 Yuiいいよ。大根は味噌汁に入れよう。Ii yo. Daikon wa misoshiru ni ireyou.Sure. Let's put the daikon in the miso soup.
- 蓮 Renこの大根はとても新鮮だね。Kono daikon wa totemo shinsen dane.This daikon is very fresh.
- 結衣 Yui本当だね。これを買おう。Hontou dane. Kore o kaou.You're right. Let's buy this one.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “daikon” translations and entries 大根, 蘿蔔, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
