メニュー
menyū[me̞ɲ̟ɨː]
The Japanese word for menu is メニュー (menyū). If unsure, use メニュー. Wiktionary also lists 献立 (kondate).
Meaning: list of dishes offered in a restaurant (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| メニュー | menyū | [me̞ɲ̟ɨː] (narrow) |
| 献立 | kondate | [kõ̞nda̠te̞] (narrow) |
メニュー is the most common and widely used way to say menu in Japanese, typically referring to the physical list of dishes offered in a restaurant.
Which one should you use?
メニュー is a loanword used for a physical menu in a restaurant. In contrast, 献立 refers more to the specific composition of a meal or a set menu plan.
How do you pronounce it?
menyū
Did you know?
- Some traditional Japanese eateries use an おまかせ 'omakase' style, which literally means 'I leave it up to you', effectively replacing the メニュー with the chef's choice.
- In Japanese, メニュー is used beyond food to describe a 'menu' of exercises in sports training or a set of skin-care steps in beauty routines.
- The word 献立 'kondate' contains the character for 'offering' 献, reflecting a historical context where meals were prepared as offerings to deities or nobility.
Examples in context
- メニューをください。Menu, please!This sentence is useful for asking for the メニュー.Tatoeba #12890046 by small_snow, translation #11737241 by lieknins
- メニューをお願いします。Let me see a menu.Tatoeba #194613 by small_snow, translation #31786 by CK
- メニューをいただけますか。May I have the menu, please?Tatoeba #194614 by bunbuku, translation #31785 by CK
- メニューを見せてくださいPlease show me the menu.
- メニューくださいMenu, please.
- お品書きをくださいPlease give me the menu.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Kenta are at a cafe.
- 結衣 Yuiメニューはありますか？menyuu wa arimasu ka?Do you have a menu?
- 健太 Kentaはい、こちらがメニューです。hai, kochira ga menyuu desu.Yes, here is the menu.
- 結衣 Yui健太さん、何にしますか？Kenta-san, nani ni shimasu ka?Kenta, what will you have?
- 健太 Kenta僕はコーヒーにします。Boku wa koohii ni shimasu.I will have coffee.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “menu” translations and entries メニュー, 献立, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
