葡萄
budō[bɯ̟do̞ː]
The English word 'grape' is 葡萄 (budō) in Japanese. Wiktionary also lists グレープ (gurēpu).
Meaning: fruit (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 葡萄 | budō | [bɯ̟do̞ː] (narrow) [e̞bʲi] (narrow) |
| グレープ | gurēpu | [ɡɯ̟ɾe̞ːpɯ̟] (narrow) |
The term refers to the fruit. To explicitly refer to the grape fruit itself, you can use budou no mi (ぶどうの実).
Which one should you use?
The katakana form グレープ is a loanword from English. グレープ is most commonly used in commercial contexts, such as on food packaging or when describing specific flavors like 'grape soda'. When referring to artificial flavors in snacks or drinks, the loanword グレープ is much more common than the native term 葡萄.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
budō
Did you know?
- While 葡萄 is the general term, luxury grapes in Japan are often treated as high-end gifts and can be sold in boutiques with individual berries priced at several dollars each.
- The word 葡萄 traces its roots back to the ancient Bactrian word for 'wine', meaning the word for the fruit itself carries a historical connection to alcohol.
- There is a specific Japanese term ぶどう狩り (budou-gari), which refers to the seasonal activity of going to a vineyard to pick grapes as a leisure trip.
Examples in context
- ワインじゃないよ。ただのグレープジュースだよ。It's not wine. It's just grape juice.This sentence is useful for clarifying that a drink is grape juice and not wine using the form グレープ.Tatoeba #12976399 by small_snow, translation #11817611 by ddnktr
- それは、ワインじゃなくて、ただのグレープジュース。That's not wine. It's only grape juice.Tatoeba #10008276 by small_snow, translation #10008244 by CK
- グレープジュースGrape juiceThis is a simple phrase for grape juice using the form グレープ.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are shopping for fruit at a supermarket.
- 結衣 Yuiこの葡萄、すごく美味しそうじゃない？Kono budō, sugoku oishisō janai?Don't these grapes look delicious?
- 蓮 Ren本当だね。一房買っていこうか。Hontō dane. Hitofusa katte ikō ka.You're right. Shall we buy a bunch?
- 結衣 Yuiうん。私は紫色の葡萄が好きなの。Un. Watashi wa murasakiiro no budō ga suki na no.Yeah. I like purple grapes.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、これをバスケットに入れよう。Jā, kore o basuketto ni ireyō.Then let's put these in the basket.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grape” translations and entries 葡萄, グレープ, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries グレープ, 葡萄, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR, Wiktionary CC BY-SA 4.0.
