How to say "leftovers" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- no-adjectiveA general word for the remainder, rest, or balance of something. It can refer to food left over, but it is not tied to food; the leftover sense depends entirely on context.
- 食べ残したべのこしno-adjectiveThe most direct word for the food sense: food left uneaten after a meal. Typical context: what remains on the plates after dinner, whether to discard or save.
- 残飯ざんぱんnounAlso means leftover food, but it covers food scraps as well, giving it a nuance of scraps or waste rather than simply food left over from a meal.
- 売れ残りうれのこりnounLeftovers only in the commercial sense: items left unsold, remainders of stock. It is not the word for food left on your plate; think of unsold merchandise.
- 残りのこりno-adjectiveThe all-purpose word for the rest or what is left of anything. With food it can express leftovers, but on its own it just means the remainder, so the food reading comes from context.
For food left after a meal use 「食べ残し」, with 残飯 leaning toward scraps or waste; for unsold goods use 「売れ残り」; 「あまり」 and 「残り」 are general remainder words whose leftover sense depends on context.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
See also
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