食べ物
tabemono[ta̠be̞mo̞no̞]
The English phrase "grub" can be translated into Japanese as 食べ物 (tabemono). Wiktionary also lists 食い物 (kuimono).
Meaning: slang: food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 食べ物 | tabemono | [ta̠be̞mo̞no̞] (narrow) | |
| 食い物 | kuimono | [kɯ̟imo̞no̞] (narrow) | informal |
The term refers to food as a noun.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The informal form 食い物 can also be used. The most common informal word for "grub" in Japanese is "meshi" (飯).
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
tabemono
Did you know?
- The informal word for 'grub' 飯 (meshi) originally referred specifically to cooked rice. Because rice was the staple of the Japanese diet, the word expanded to mean any meal or food in general.
- If you use 食い物 (kuimono) to refer to food in a restaurant, you might sound like a character in a gritty manga rather than a polite customer.
- The distinction between taberu and kuu is a matter of social register, where the latter is traditionally associated with much lower social status or intense masculinity.
Examples in context
- おいしい飯を食ってきた！(Oishii meshi o kuttekita!)I just had some delicious grub!
- 今日の昼ごはんは何食べる？(Kyou no hirugohan wa nani taberu?)What are you having for lunch today?
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are hanging out at home.
- 結衣 Yuiお腹空いたね。onaka suita ne.I'm hungry.
- 健太 Kenta何か食べ物があるかな？nanika tabemono ga aru kana?I wonder if there's any grub?
- 結衣 Yui冷蔵庫を見てみて。reizouko o mite mite.Take a look in the fridge.
- 健太 Kentaいい食べ物が見つかったよ！ii tabemono ga mitsukatta yo!I found some good grub!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “grub” translations and entries 食べ物, 食い物, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
