目玉焼き
medamayaki[me̞da̠ma̠ja̠kʲi]
The English phrase "sunny side up eggs" is translated into Japanese as 目玉焼き (medamayaki).
In Japanese, the term 目玉焼き is used broadly to cover all styles of fried eggs, including both sunny side up and over easy.
How do you pronounce it?
medamayaki
Did you know?
- The term 目玉焼き literally translates to 'fried eyeball'.
- The word 目玉 (medama) is also used as a metaphor in Japanese to describe the 'main attraction' or the 'highlight' of an event.
- In Japanese cuisine, 目玉焼き is frequently served as a topping for rice, often paired with a drizzle of soy sauce or a pinch of salt.
Examples in context
- 目玉焼きを作ってください。medamayaki o tsukutte kudasai.Please make some sunny side up eggs.
- 朝食に目玉焼きを食べました。choushoku ni medamayaki o tabemashita.I ate sunny side up eggs for breakfast.
- 目玉焼きは半熟が好きです。medamayaki wa hanjuku ga suki desu.I like sunny side up eggs with runny yolks.
Example conversation
A couple is deciding what to eat for breakfast.
- 大翔 Hiroto美咲、朝ごはんに何を食べる？Misaki, asagohan ni nani o taberu?Misaki, what do you want for breakfast?
- 美咲 Misaki私は目玉焼きが食べたいな。Watashi wa medamayaki ga tabetai na.I want to eat sunny side up eggs.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかった。大翔が作るよ。Wakatta. Hiroto ga tsukuru yo.Got it. I'll make them.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう、お願いね。Arigatou, onegai ne.Thanks, please do.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 目玉焼き, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 目玉焼き, CC BY-SA 4.0.
