塩|しおshio[2]odaka (tail-high)

1. nounsalt; common salt; table salt; sodium chloride
   このスープは塩しおが少すこし足たりない。↗

   This soup wants a bit of salt.
2. nounhardship; toil; trouble
3. noun, foodsaltiness
4. noun (prefix)cold; unwelcoming; indifferent

• Synonym食塩しょくえんNeutralEdible salt; typical of products and nutrition information, as in 「食塩水」.
• Synonym塩分えんぶんNeutralThe salt contained in something; common in health contexts, as in 「塩分控えめ」.
• Synonym食卓塩しょくたくえんNeutralRefined salt kept at the table for sprinkling on food; the word stresses its use, as distinct from salt for cooking.
• Related塩化ナトリウムえんかナトリウムWrittenA written, scientific term for sodium chloride, the compound salt is made of; mostly in scientific contexts.
• Related塩気しおけCasualColloquial. Saltiness or how much salt something has, as in 「塩気が足りない」.
• RelatedしょっぱさCasualColloquial noun for the degree of saltiness — the taste itself, not salt as a substance.

Use 「塩」 by default. Say 「食塩」 for edible salt as a product, 「塩分」 for salt content, 「塩気」 or 「しょっぱさ」 for saltiness, and 「塩化ナトリウム」 in chemistry.

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

1. （しお）塩化えんかナトリウムを主成分しゅせいぶんとする、調味料ちょうみりょうのひとつ。食塩しょくえん。