How to say "chestnut" in Japanese

• マロンCommon
  nounThe common word for chestnut, borrowed from French; it is the natural choice for the nut as food, and is heard especially in sweets and desserts.
• 栗毛くりげ
  no-adjectiveNot the nut at all: this means the chestnut coat color of a horse — a reddish-brown horse. Use it only when talking about horses; it is a less common, specialized term.
• 栃の実とちのみ
  expression, nounThis is really the horse chestnut — the nut of the 栃 tree — not the ordinary edible chestnut, so it is seldom the word you want for 'chestnut'; it is a less common word.

For chestnuts as food or the nut in general, 「マロン」 is the usual choice; 栗毛 is only the chestnut coat color of horses, and 「栃の実」 really means the horse chestnut, a different nut.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• マロンchestnut
• 栗毛くりげchestnut (horse coat color)
• 栃の実とちのみchestnut