Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ポリッジ | porijji | [po̞ɾʲid̚d͡ʑi] (narrow) | |
| 雑炊 | zousui | [d͡zo̞ːsɨi] (narrow) | |
| 粥 | kayu | [ka̠jɯ̟] (narrow) [ka̠i] (narrow) |
usually |
Depending on the specific type of dish you are describing, Japanese uses different terms. You might use terms for Western-style cereal, traditional rice-based dishes or savory soups made with broth.
Which one should you use?
ポリッジ is a loanword used specifically for Western-style porridge, such as oatmeal. In contrast, 粥 (kayu) refers to a traditional Japanese rice porridge. 雑炊 (zousui) is a savory rice porridge that is typically made by adding broth and other ingredients like egg or vegetables to rice.
How do you pronounce it?
porijji
What mistakes should you avoid?
Be careful not to confuse porridge with ぜんざい, which typically refers to a sweet red bean soup.
When do people say it?
In Japan, 粥 (kayu) is often eaten as a light meal when a person is feeling unwell or is recovering from an illness.
Did you know?
- Because 粥 is associated with illness and recovery, serving it to a healthy person without context can sometimes be misinterpreted as a suggestion that they look sick.
- Some linguists theorize that 粥 may have come from 加 (ka), meaning 'additional', and 湯 (yu), meaning 'hot water'.
Examples in context
- すみません、おかゆをお願いします。Excuse me, may I have some porridge, please?
- おじやが食べたいな。I feel like eating some porridge.
Example conversation
Ren and Yui are deciding what to eat for breakfast.
- 蓮 Ren結衣、明日の朝はポリッジにしない？Yui, ashita no asa wa porijji ni shinai?Yui, shall we have porridge tomorrow morning?
- 結衣 Yuiいいですね。フルーツも一緒に盛り付けましょう。Ii desu ne. Furūtsu mo issho ni moritsukemashō.That sounds good. Let's add some fruit too.
- 蓮 Ren了解。オートミールを買っておくよ。Ryōkai. Ōtomīru o katte oku yo.Got it. I'll buy some oatmeal.
- 結衣 Yuiありがとう、蓮。Arigatō, Ren.Thank you, Ren.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “porridge” translations and entries ポリッジ, 雑炊, 粥, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ポリッジ, 粥, CC BY-SA 4.0.
