Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 清涼飲料水 | seiryōinryōsui | [se̞ːɾʲo̞ːĩn̺ɾʲo̞ːsɨi] (narrow) |
| 清涼飲料 | seiryōinryō | [se̞ːɾʲo̞ːĩn̺ɾʲo̞ː] (narrow) |
| ソフトドリンク | sofutodorinku | [so̞ɸɯ̟̊to̞ do̞ɾʲĩŋkɯ̟] (narrow) |
In Japanese, the terms used for a soft drink depend on the context. ソフトドリンク is the direct translation of 'soft drink' and is used in bars or restaurants to specifically distinguish non-alcoholic options from alcoholic ones. While in English a soft drink usually implies a carbonated beverage, in Japanese, ソフトドリンク can be used more broadly to refer to any non-alcoholic beverage in a bar setting. For general beverage needs, the term 飲み物 is used and ジュース specifically means 'juice' but is often used more broadly to indicate soft drinks.
What does it mean word for word?
The term 清涼飲料水 is composed of 清涼 meaning refreshing, 飲料 meaning beverage and 水 meaning water.
Which one should you use?
ソフトドリンク is the direct translation of 'soft drink'. In contrast, 清涼飲料水 is a more technical or formal term.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
清涼飲料水 is a formal, technical or legal term often seen on product labeling and in official contexts.
How do you pronounce it?
seiryōinryōsui
When do people say it?
When ordering at a restaurant or café, you can say ソフトドリンクをください to mean 'Please give me a soft drink'.
Did you know?
- In Japanese, the word ジュース (jūsu) is often used to refer to any sweetened soft drink, such as cola or ginger ale, even if the drink contains no actual fruit juice.
- The term 飲み物 is used for any drinkable liquid, whereas 清涼飲料水 specifically excludes natural water and alcohol.
- If you see the term 清涼飲料水 on a vending machine or a legal label, it is often because the beverage must meet specific regulatory standards to be classified as such.
Examples in context
- 湯上がりに、私はあるソフトドリンクを飲んだ。After taking a bath, I drank some soft drink.This sentence is useful for describing a personal action involving the form ソフトドリンク.Tatoeba #537113 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #535514 by tomkun01
- コーラをくださいPlease give me a Coke
- オレンジジュースを注文します。I would like to order orange juice.
- ポップコーンと一緒にソフトドリンクを飲みたい。I want to drink a soft drink with popcorn.
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are looking at a vending machine.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太、何が飲みたい？Yōta, nani ga nomitai?Yota, what do you want to drink?
- 陽太 Yota冷たい清涼飲料水が欲しいな。tsumetai seiryōinryōsui ga hoshii na.I want a cold soft drink.
- 美咲 Misakiじゃあ、私が買っておくね。jaa, watashi ga katte oku ne.Then, I'll buy it for you.
- 陽太 Yotaありがとう、美咲。arigatō, Misaki.Thank you, Misaki.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soft drink” translations and entries 清涼飲料水, 清涼飲料, ソフトドリンク, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
