How to say "snack" in Japanese
Choosing the right word
- nounThe loanword for a snack eaten between meals, and by extension a light meal; the straightforward choice when you simply mean 'snack'.
- 軽食けいしょくnounCovers 'snack' in the sense of a light meal or refreshments — something more like a small, simple meal than a between-meal nibble; typical of the light fare offered at cafés.
- nounA snack to have with a drink — the food you nibble alongside drinks at a bar — and also a side dish; usually written in kana alone, and not the word for ordinary between-meal snacks.
- 突き出しつきだしnounA snack served with a drink — really an appetizer or hors d'oeuvre, like the small dish a bar sets down with your drink; seldom the word you want for 'snack' in general.
Use 「スナック」 for snacks in general, 軽食 when you mean a light meal or refreshments, 「つまみ」 for snacks eaten while drinking, and 「突き出し」 only for an appetizer served with a drink.
Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only
Japanese equivalents
This browser can't play pronunciations (needs Safari 18.4 or later, or Chrome / Edge / Firefox).
