昼時
hirudoki
The English phrase 'lunchtime' can be translated into Japanese as 昼時 (hirudoki). Wiktionary also lists ランチタイム (ranchitaimu).
Meaning: time or hour for lunch (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 昼時 | hirudoki |
| ランチタイム | ranchitaimu |
Which one should you use?
昼時 is a native Japanese term. In contrast, ランチタイム is a loanword from English and is very common in modern, casual or commercial contexts such as restaurant advertisements.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
昼時 sounds more traditional or slightly more formal. ランチタイム is frequently used in casual conversation and is the standard term used in marketing and menus. For very casual speech, you can also use お昼 or the informal phrase 昼ごはんの時間.
How do you pronounce it?
hirudoki
Did you know?
- Japanese schools often have a dedicated 'lunchtime' where students serve the food to their peers and clean the classroom together. This teaches responsibility and equality rather than just providing a break.
- In Japanese corporate culture, the ランチタイム is often a social ritual where colleagues eat together to build harmony. Eating alone is sometimes viewed as a sign of isolation or poor social integration.
- Because ランチ (ranchi) is a loanword, it is often used to imply a western-style meal, whereas 昼ごはん (hirugohan) suggests a more traditional or standard meal.
Examples in context
- 昼食時に何を食べますか？What do you eat during lunchtime?
- お昼はいかがですか？How about lunch?
- ちょうど昼時ですね。choudo hirudoki desu ne.It is exactly lunchtime.
- 昼時は少し遅らせたいです。hirudoki wa sukoshi okorasetai desu.I want to delay lunchtime a little.
Example conversation
Yota and Yui are working in an office.
- 陽太 Yota結衣さん、もう昼時ですよ。Yui-san, mou hirudoki desu yo.Yui, it's already lunchtime.
- 結衣 Yui本当だ！お腹が空きました。Hontou da! Onaka ga sukimashita.You're right! I'm hungry.
- 陽太 Yota今日はどこで食べますか？Kyou wa doko de tabemasu ka?Where shall we eat today?
- 結衣 Yui近くのカフェに行きましょう。Chikaku no kafe ni ikimashou.Let's go to a nearby cafe.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “lunchtime” translations and entries ランチタイム, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
