How to say "groceries" in Japanese

Choosing the right word
  • 食料品しょくりょうひんJLPT N4approx.Common
    nounThe general word for foodstuffs or groceries, covering edible goods bought at stores such as supermarkets. Use this when you simply mean groceries in the everyday sense, with no implication about the type of food.
    日本にっぽんの食料品しょくりょうひんを扱あつかっていますか。↗
    Do you have any Japanese foods?
  • 乾物かんぶつCommon
    nounMeans dry provisions or dried goods, so it matches 'groceries' only in that restricted sense. For ordinary groceries it is seldom the word you want; it is really for dried foods like dried fish, seaweed, and similar store staples.

食料品 is the neutral everyday word for food items you buy; 乾物 usually means dried foods such as dried fish or seaweed, so use it only when 'groceries' refers to dry goods.

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

Japanese equivalents

JLPT vocabulary levels are community estimates, not official (no official lists have been published since the 2010 revision).

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