Japanese word of the day: お菓子 (Okashi)

What does お菓子 (Okashi) mean?

お菓子 (noun) — confections, sweets, or candy. お菓子 is composed of the honorific prefix お and the kanji 菓子, which itself means sweets or confectionery.

Kanji details for 菓 and 子

Character: 菓 — candy, cakes, fruit
Radical: grass 艸 (艹)

Character: 子 — child
Radical: child, seed 子

Example sentences with お菓子 (Okashi)

• 私はお菓子が大好きです。
  (Watashi wa okashi ga daisuki desu.)
  🍬 I really love sweets/snacks.

• このお菓子はとても甘いです。
  (Kono okashi wa totemo amai desu.)
  🍪 This sweet is very sugary.

• お母さんがお菓子を買ってくれました。
  (Okāsan ga okashi wo katte kuremashita.)
  🧁 Mom bought me some snacks/sweets.

お菓子 (Okashi) in context

The term is deeply embedded in Japanese culture, with traditional お菓子 often having seasonal and cultural significance, especially in contexts like tea ceremonies. When using お菓子, be mindful that it generally doesn't include savory snacks like potato chips (though some broader usages might).

In formal settings or when discussing specific traditional Japanese confections, it may be more appropriate to use the term 和菓子 (wagashi) rather than the general お菓子 Also, avoid referring to substantial desserts served after meals as お菓子 - these would typically be called デザート (dessert) in Japanese.