kanin
/ˈkanin/
In Filipino, rice can be referred to using several different terms depending on its state. If unsure, use kanin. Wiktionary also lists bigas.
Meaning: seeds used as food (noun)
Ways to say it
| Filipino | IPA |
|---|---|
| kanin | /ˈkanin/ (Standard Tagalog) |
| bigas | /biˈɡas/ (Standard Tagalog) |
The term for rice in Filipino changes based on whether the grains are raw or cooked, or if they have been prepared in a specific way. You can use the phrase pa-extra when you want to request an extra serving of rice.
Which one should you use?
Use bigas to refer to raw, uncooked rice grains. Use kanin to refer to rice that has already been cooked and is ready to eat. There are other specific terms for different types of prepared rice: bahaw is leftover cooked rice (often used for fried rice), tutong is the crispy, scorched rice found at the bottom of the cooking pot and sinangag is garlic fried rice.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkanin/
Did you know?
- In Filipino culture, rice is so central that the word kanin is often used as a shorthand for 'meal' in general conversation.
- The word bigas shares an ancient root with the Malay word 'beras' and the Javanese 'wos'. These are all descendants of a single Proto-Austronesian word used thousands of years ago.
- In the Philippines, tutong is not just a cooking accident but a prized treat. Many people specifically seek out these scorched grains for their intense flavor and crunch.
Examples in context
- Bumababa ang kalidad ng bigas.The quality of rice is going down.This sentence is useful for discussing the quality of the bigas.Tatoeba #4508955 by kanlaon, translation #64020 by CM
- Ihalo ang kanin sa itlog at toyo.Combine the rice with the egg and soy sauce.This sentence shows how to use kanin when combining it with other ingredients.Tatoeba #2178283 by nonong, translation #2774153 by mervert1
- Bagay ang kanin kapag isda ang ulam.Rice is nice with a dish of fish.This sentence demonstrates a common pairing using kanin.Tatoeba #11575091 by qwertzu, translation #1102967 by jamessilver
- Ang sarap ng kanin.The rice is delicious.
- Bumili ako ng bigas.I bought some rice.
- Hindi na, kanin lang.No, just rice.
- Salamat, pero kanin na lang ako.Thank you, but I'll just have rice.
- Pwede pa-extra ng kanin?Can I have an extra serving of rice?
- Gusto ko ng malagkit na kanin.I want sticky rice.
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ricardo and Maria are preparing a meal in the kitchen.
- RicardoMay kanin pa ba tayo?Do we still have rice?
- MariaWala na, kailangan nating bumili.None left, we need to buy some.
- RicardoSige, kukuha ako ng kanin sa tindahan.Okay, I will get some rice from the store.
- MariaSalamat, Ricardo.Thank you, Ricardo.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “rice” translations and entries kanin, bigas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bigas, kanin, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
