How to say "ice" in Japanese

Choosing the right word

アイスCommon
nounCovers ice in food and drink contexts, especially ice cream and iced items. It is the everyday word when ordering or talking about frozen treats, as in asking for ice cream at a shop.
「ご注文ちゅうもんは？」「オレンジジュース」「アイス付つきで？」「そう」「まいど」↗
"Your order?" "Orange juice." "With ice?" "Yes." "Thanks for your business."
氷こおりJLPT N3approx.Common
nounRefers to ice as frozen water, such as ice cubes in a glass or ice found in nature. This is the word you want for literal ice; アイス alone usually suggests ice cream instead.
その氷こおりは薄うす過すぎてあなたの体重たいじゅうに耐たえられない。↗
The ice is too thin to bear your weight.

Use 「アイス」 for ice as a food or drink item, such as ice cream or iced beverages, and 氷 for ice as frozen water itself, like ice cubes or natural ice.

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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