ミートボール
mītobōru[mʲiːto̞bo̞ːɾɯ̟]
The English phrase "meatball" can be translated into Japanese as ミートボール (mītobōru) or 肉団子.
Meaning: ball of minced or ground meat (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| ミートボール | mītobōru | [mʲiːto̞bo̞ːɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 肉団子 | nikudango | [ɲ̟ikɯ̟dã̠ŋɡo̞] (narrow) |
Both terms refer to a ball of minced or ground meat, but the choice of word depends on the culinary context.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 肉団子 is a compound of 肉 (niku), meaning meat and 団子 (dango), meaning dumpling or ball.
Which one should you use?
The loanword ミートボール is typically used for Western-style meatballs, such as those served in pasta or as part of a Western meal. In contrast, the term 肉団子, which literally translates to "meat dumpling", is typically used for meatballs in the context of East Asian cuisine, such as those found in soups or stir-fries.
How do you pronounce it?
mītobōru
Did you know?
- The word 団子, found in 肉団子, is also the name for a popular traditional Japanese sweet made of rice flour dough. This means a 'meatball' is linguistically categorized alongside much sugary treats.
- The word 肉 (niku) in 肉団子 is a very broad term. It can refer to meat in general, but in a restaurant setting, it often defaults to the assumption of pork unless specified otherwise.
- The way ミートボール is written in Katakana marks it clearly as an outsider to traditional Japanese cuisine. This script is used specifically to signal that the concept was imported from the West.
Examples in context
- ミートボールが好きです。mītobōru ga suki desu.I like meatballs.
- 今日の夕食はミートボールです。kyō no yūshoku wa mītobōru desu.Today's dinner is meatballs.
- このミートボールはとても美味しいです。kono mītobōru wa totemo oishii desu.This meatball is very delicious.
Example conversation
Hina and Daito are deciding what to cook for dinner.
- 陽葵 Himari今夜はミートボールを作りましょう。konya wa miitobooru o tsukurimashou.Let's make meatballs tonight.
- 大翔 Hirotoいいですね。材料はありますか？ii desu ne. zairyou wa arimasu ka?That sounds good. Do we have the ingredients?
- 陽葵 Himariはい、ひき肉が冷蔵庫にあります。hai, hikiniku ga reizouko ni arimasu.Yes, there is ground meat in the fridge.
- 大翔 Hirotoよし、ミートボールをたくさん作りましょう。yoshi, miitobooru o takusan tsukurimashou.Alright, let's make plenty of meatballs.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “meatball” translations and entries ミートボール, 肉団子, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
