白米
hakumai[ha̠kɯ̟ma̠i]
The English phrase "white rice" is translated into Japanese as 白米 (hakumai). Wiktionary also lists 精米 (seimai).
Meaning: rice with the hull polished off (noun)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 白米 | hakumai | [ha̠kɯ̟ma̠i] (narrow) |
| 精米 | seimai | [se̞ːma̠i] (narrow) |
白米 is used to describe polished, uncooked rice.
What does it mean word for word?
The word is composed of the kanji 白 (white) and 米 (rice).
Which one should you use?
白米 refers to the resulting white rice, whereas 精米 refers to the process of polishing the rice or the rice that has undergone the polishing process. Additionally, 白米 is used to distinguish polished rice from 玄米, which is unpolished brown rice.
How do you pronounce it?
hakumai
Did you know?
- The word ご飯 (gohan), which is the common way to refer to cooked rice, is also the standard word for 'meal'.
- Japan has a specific word, シャリ, used exclusively by sushi chefs to describe the vinegared white rice. To a professional, シャリ is a distinct ingredient from regular 白米.
- In traditional Japanese culture, 白米 was once a luxury and a status symbol. Until the Edo period, many peasants were forbidden from eating polished white rice and were required to eat 玄米 or mixed grains.
Examples in context
- 白米と玄米、どっちが好き？Do you prefer white rice or brown rice?This sentence is useful for expressing a preference between 白米 and brown rice.Tatoeba #3110660 by tommy_san, translation #681943 by Source_VOA
- トムは白米が好きなんだよ。Tom likes white rice.This sentence is useful for stating that someone likes 白米.Tatoeba #9849324 by small_snow, translation #9849299 by Hybrid
- 白米はとても美味しいです。Hakumai wa totemo oishii desu.White rice is very delicious.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Yui and Ren are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- 結衣 Yui今日の夕飯は白米にしましょうか。Kyō no yūhan wa hakumai ni shimashō ka.Shall we have white rice for dinner tonight?
- 蓮 Renいいですね。白米が食べたいです。Ii desu ne. Hakumai ga tabetai desu.That sounds good. I want to eat white rice.
- 結衣 Yuiお味噌汁も作りましょうか。Omisoshiru mo tsukurimashō ka.Shall I make some miso soup too?
- 蓮 Renお願いします。Onegaishimasu.Please do.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “white rice” translations and entries 白米, 精米, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
