How to say "ham" in Japanese

• ハムCommon
  nounThe common word for ham as a food — cured pig meat, typically sold sliced for sandwiches and cooking. When English 'ham' means the meat itself, this is almost always the word you want.
  ハムを１きれ薄うすく切きってくれませんか。↗

  Would you slice me a piece of ham, please?
• もも肉ももにく
  nounPrimarily 'leg meat' — the leg or thigh cut of an animal. Its 'ham' sense reflects that ham comes from the leg, so it is seldom the word you want for ham itself; use ハム.
• ポークハム
  nounA katakana compound literally reading 'pork ham'; it denotes the same cured meat as ハム. Less common than that word, it is seldom what you want — ハム by itself covers this sense.
• 塩豚しおぶた
  nounLiterally 'salted pork' — pork preserved in salt. Its 'ham' sense reflects that ham is salt-cured pork, but as a way to say 'ham' it is marginal; ハム is the word for the food.

For 'ham' as the cured pork food, 「ハム」 is the common word; 「もも肉」 really denotes leg meat, 「ポークハム」 is a less common synonym you will seldom need, and 塩豚 really denotes salted pork.

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

• ハムham (cured pig meat)
• もも肉ももにくleg (meat)
• ポークハムham
• 塩豚しおぶたsalted pork