麺
men[mẽ̞ɴ]
The Japanese word for noodle is 麺 (men).
麺 is used as a general category to refer to various types of noodles, such as ramen, udon or soba. While 麺 serves as the broad term, specific types of noodles are often referred to by their own names, such as ラーメン (ramen).
Meaning: string or flat strip of pasta or other dough (noun)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Nagoya region, you may encounter きしめん, which is a flat and wide udon noodle. In Nagasaki, ちゃんぽん refers to a regional noodle dish consisting of thick noodles served in a savory soup.
How do you pronounce it?
men
Did you know?
- Slurping your 麺 loudly is a sign of enjoyment and a way to show the chef that the meal is delicious.
- In Japanese culture, eating 年越しそば (toshikoshi soba) on New Year's Eve symbolizes cutting off the hardships of the past year.
- The word 麺 shares a common ancestor with the Chinese character for 'flour', meaning the word for the noodle itself is deeply tied to the raw ingredient used to make it.
Examples in context
- その通り。ここの麺のスープは少し高いんだ。You're right. The noodle broth here is a bit expensive.This sentence is useful for discussing the price of the broth used for the 麺.Tatoeba #10163011 by small_snow, translation #430853 by FeuDRenais
- この店の麺はとてもコシがあります。Kono mise no men wa totemo kosi ga arimasu.The noodles at this shop have a lot of chewiness.
- 暑い日は冷たい麺が食べたいです。Atsui hi wa tsumetai men ga tabetai desu.I want to eat cold noodles on hot days.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are looking at a menu at a Japanese restaurant.
- 蓮 Ren美咲、この店は麺が有名らしいよ。Misaki, kono mise wa men ga yuumei rashii yo.Misaki, I heard the noodles at this place are famous.
- 美咲 Misaki本当？じゃあ、麺料理を頼もうか。Hontou? Jaa, men ryouri o tanomou ka.Really? Then shall we order a noodle dish?
- 蓮 Ren賛成。僕は太い麺がいいな。Sansei. Boku wa futoi men ga ii na.I agree. I want thick noodles.
- 美咲 Misaki私は細い麺にするね。Watashi wa hosoi men ni suru ne.I'll go with thin noodles.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 麺, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 麺, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
