肉
niku[ɕiɕi]
The English word "meat" is translated into Japanese as 肉 (niku). If unsure, use 肉. Wiktionary also lists 身 (mi).
Meaning: animal flesh used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 肉 | niku | [ɕiɕi] (narrow) [ɲ̟ikɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 身 | mi | [mʲi] (narrow) [mɯ̟] (narrow) |
肉 is the generic term for meat in Japanese. The term 焼き肉 (yakiniku) is specifically used to refer to grilled meat dishes.
Which one should you use?
While 肉 refers to meat as a food item, 身 (mi) refers to the flesh, body or substance of a creature. 身 is often used when discussing the physical amount of meat on a fish or the physical body of an animal.
How do you pronounce it?
niku
Did you know?
Examples in context
- 肉は、旨い。Meat tastes good.This sentence is useful for expressing a general opinion about the taste of meat using 肉.Tatoeba #11156553 by small_snow, translation #11156544 by DJ_Saidez
- これ、生肉よ。This is raw meat.This sentence is useful for identifying that meat is raw using 肉.Tatoeba #11871073 by small_snow, translation #10166517 by ddnktr
- 肉は要らないよ。I don't want meat.This sentence is useful for stating a lack of desire for meat using 肉.Tatoeba #9089024 by bunbuku, translation #453790 by saasmath
- 144 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are at a restaurant deciding what to order.
- 結衣 Yui今日は肉が食べたいな。Kyou wa niku ga tabetai na.I want to eat meat today.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、ステーキはどう？Jaa, suteeki wa dou?Then, how about a steak?
- 結衣 Yuiいいよ、肉料理にしよう！Ii yo, niku ryouri ni shiyou!Sounds good, let's go with a meat dish!
- 健太 Kenta了解。僕が注文するね。Ryoukai. Boku ga chuumon suru ne.Roger. I'll order it.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meat” translations and entries 肉, 身, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 肉, 身, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
