How to say "cook" in Japanese

• コックJLPT N2approx.Common
  nounA loanword for a person whose job is cooking — a cook or chef. Use it for professional cooks, as in restaurants or similar workplaces where someone cooks for a living.
  健二けんじはコックになることに決きめた。↗

  Kenji decided to become a cook.
• 料理人りょうりにんCommon
  nounA person who cooks professionally; a cook or chef. A neutral word that covers culinary professionals generally, without specifying the type of cuisine or the kind of kitchen.
  その料理人りょうりにんは彼かれの信しんじられないほどの食欲しょくよくに驚おどろいた。↗

  The cook was astonished at his incredible appetite.
• 炊くたくJLPT N2approx.Common
  godan verb, transitive verbA verb: to cook grains, such as rice, by boiling. Use it only for that sense of 'cook' — cooking rice or other grains — not for cooking food in general.
  ご飯はんの上手じょうずなたき方かたを知しっていますか。↗

  Do you know how to cook rice well?
• 板前いたまえCommon
  nounA chef, especially of high-end Japanese cuisine — literally the spot in front of the cutting board. Use it for skilled Japanese-cuisine chefs rather than as an all-purpose word for anyone who cooks.
• 賄いまかないCommon
  nounNot really a word for 'cook' at all: it means boarding, meals or catering — food provided for people, such as staff meals. For the sense 'cook', this is seldom the word you want.

For a person who cooks, choose 「コック」 or 料理人 (板前 for a high-end Japanese-cuisine chef); for the verb, 「炊く」 covers only cooking grains such as rice; 「賄い」 means provided meals, not a cook.

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

• コックcook
• 料理人りょうりにんcook
• 炊くたくto cook (grains, e.g. rice)
• 板前いたまえchef (esp. of high-end Japanese cuisine)
• 賄いまかないboarding
• 炊き上げるたきあげるto cook (esp. grains such as rice, by boiling)
• 料るりょうるto cook
• 火を通すひをとおすto cook
• 料理番りょうりばんcook
• 板さんいたさんcook
• 包丁人ほうちょうにんcook
• 包丁師ほうちょうしcook
• 包丁者ほうちょうじゃcook
• 調理者ちょうりしゃcook
• 炊事係すいじがかりcook
• 飯炊きめしたきcooking rice
• 賄い方まかないかたkitchen manager
• 調理人ちょうりにんchef
• 厨夫ちゅうふmale kitchen worker
• 炊婦すいふ(female) cook
• ごまかすto falsify
• 板場いたばcook
• 膳部ぜんぶcook
• 板いたchef (esp. of high-end Japanese cuisine)