残り物
nokorimono
The English word "leftovers" is translated into Japanese as 残り物 (nokorimono).
残り物 is a common term used to denote food that remains after a meal. While 残り物 refers generally to remaining food, you may also encounter 食べ残し, which specifically describes unfinished food.
Meaning: food remaining after a meal (noun)
Which one should you use?
There are different ways to refer to leftovers depending on the nuance. 残り物 is the standard term for remaining food, while 残り is a shorter, more casual way to refer to them. If you are specifically talking about food that was left unfinished, 食べ残し is the more precise term.
How does it change in a sentence?
残り物 is a noun and does not change its form to indicate plurality.
How do you pronounce it?
nokorimono
Did you know?
- The word 残り物 is used in a famous Japanese proverb, 残り物には福がある, which means 'there is luck in the leftovers'. It suggests that the last item remaining is often the best one.
- The kanji character for 'remain' in 残り物 is also the character used in the word for 'historical remains' or 'vestiges'. This creates a linguistic link between a plate of food and the ruins of an ancient civilization.
- While 残り物 can describe food, it is also used to describe a person who is the 'last one left' in a social or professional group, often implying they were not the first choice.
Examples in context
- それはお昼の残り物だよ。Those are the leftovers from lunch.This sentence uses 残り物 to identify leftovers from lunch.Tatoeba #9250452 by bunbuku, translation #55944 by CM
- お昼は、残り物を食べたよ。I ate leftovers for lunch.This sentence uses 残り物 to say that leftovers were eaten for lunch.Tatoeba #10500455 by small_snow, translation #5916263 by CK
- お昼ご飯は、残り物を食べました。For lunch, I ate leftovers.This sentence uses 残り物 to express that leftovers were eaten for lunch.Tatoeba #10500456 by small_snow, translation #10500452 by CK
- 昨日の夜の残り物は冷蔵庫に入れました。I put last night's leftovers in the refrigerator.
- ピザの残り、夕飯に食べよう。Let's eat the pizza leftovers for dinner.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta and Himari are talking in the kitchen about dinner.
- 健太 Kenta今日の晩ご飯、残り物でいい？kyou no bangohan, nokorimono de ii?Is it okay if we have leftovers for tonight's dinner?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、残り物でも大丈夫だよ。un, nokorimono demo daijoubu da yo.Yeah, leftovers are fine with me.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、冷蔵庫の残り物を温めるね。jaa, reizouko no nokorimono o atatameru ne.Then, I'll warm up the leftovers from the fridge.
- 陽葵 Himariありがとう、助かるよ。arigatou, tasukaru yo.Thanks, that helps a lot.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
