牡蠣
kaki[ka̠kʲi]
The English word "oyster" is 牡蠣 (kaki) in Japanese.
牡蠣 refers to the food obtained from the mollusc known as an oyster.
Meaning: food from mollusc (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is kaki.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful with the pitch or context, as kaki (柿) also means "persimmon", though they are written with different kanji.
Did you know?
- In Japan, kaki is a common homophone that can refer to an oyster, a persimmon or even a fence, depending on the kanji used.
- The word 牡蠣 is an example of 'jukujikun', where kanji are assigned to a word based on their meaning rather than their individual sounds. This means the way you read the characters is often disconnected from their original Chinese pronunciations.
- While 牡蠣 is the general term, you will often see the word 牡蠣 written in hiragana as かき on menus to make the text feel softer and more appetizing.
Examples in context
- 牡蠣が大好きです。kaki ga daisuki desu.I love oysters.
- 新鮮な牡蠣をください。shinsena kaki o kudasai.Please give me fresh oysters.
- 今日のメニューは牡蠣ですね。kyou no menyuu wa kaki desu ne.Today's menu is oysters, isn't it?
Example conversation
Kenta and Yui are at a seafood restaurant.
- 健太 Kenta結衣、牡蠣は好き？Yui, kaki wa suki?Yui, do you like oysters?
- 結衣 Yuiうん、大好きだよ。un, daisuki da yo.Yes, I love them.
- 健太 Kentaじゃあ、牡蠣のフライを頼もうか。jaa, kaki no furai o tanomō ka.Then, shall we order the fried oysters?
- 結衣 Yuiいいよ。お願い！ii yo. onegai!Sounds good. Please do!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “oyster” translations and entries 牡蠣, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 牡蠣, CC BY-SA 4.0.
