Yuhan (夕食) refers to the evening meal, often the main meal of the day.
Word in 30 Seconds
- Dinner, the evening meal.
- The main meal eaten at night.
- Commonly shared with family.
Overview
「夕食（ゆうはん）」は、日本語で一日の最後の食事、すなわち夜に食べる食事を指す言葉です。多くの文化において、夕食は家族が集まり、一日の出来事を共有する大切な時間とされています。日本では、伝統的な和食から、洋食、中華など、多様な食事が夕食として楽しまれています。
「夕食を食べる」「夕食を作る」「夕食を準備する」「夕食に出かける」などの形で使われます。また、「今日の夕食は何にしようか」「夕食の時間です」のように、具体的な内容や時間を尋ねたり、伝えたりする際にも用いられます。
家庭での日常会話、レストランでの注文、友人との食事の約束など、幅広い場面で使われます。学校の先生が生徒に「今日の夕食は何を食べましたか？」と尋ねたり、親が子供に「早く夕食を食べなさい」と促したりする場面もよく見られます。
「晩ご飯（ばんごはん）」も「夕食」とほぼ同じ意味で使われる、より口語的な表現です。「夜ご飯（よるごはん）」も同様に夜の食事を指しますが、ややカジュアルな響きがあります。「夕食」は、これらの言葉と比較して、ややフォーマルな響きを持つ場合もありますが、日常会話で広く使われています。
Examples
今日の夕食はカレーライスにしました。
everydayToday's dinner was curry rice.
皆様、まもなく夕食の準備が整います。
formalEveryone, dinner will be ready shortly.
「ねえ、今日の晩御飯（ゆうはん）、何にする？」
informal'Hey, what are we having for dinner tonight?'
夕食の栄養バランスを考慮した献立を作成した。
academicA menu considering the nutritional balance of dinner was created.
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
夕食は何ですか？
What's for dinner?
一緒に夕食を食べませんか？
Would you like to have dinner together?
夕食後
after dinner
Often Confused With
'Ban gohan' is a more colloquial and common term for dinner, often used in everyday conversation. 'Yuhan' can sound slightly more formal but is also widely used.
'Yashoku' refers to a meal eaten late at night, typically after dinner and before going to bed, often a snack. 'Yuhan' is the main evening meal.
Grammar Patterns
How to Use It
Usage Notes
'Yuhan' is a standard term for dinner and can be used in most contexts, from casual to slightly formal. While 'Ban gohan' is more common in casual speech, 'Yuhan' is perfectly acceptable and widely understood. Avoid using it for breakfast or lunch.
Common Mistakes
Learners might sometimes confuse 'Yuhan' with 'Yashoku' (late-night snack). Ensure you use 'Yuhan' for the main evening meal and 'Yashoku' for food eaten very late at night. Also, remember it's different from 'Chūshoku' (lunch).
Tips
Think of 'Yuhan' as Evening Meal
Remember that 'Yuhan' specifically refers to the meal eaten in the evening, usually after the workday.
Don't Confuse with Other Meals
Be careful not to confuse 'Yuhan' with 'Chūshoku' (lunch) or 'Chōshoku' (breakfast).
Family Gathering Time
In Japan, 'Yuhan' is often a time for families to gather, share their day, and connect.
Word Origin
The word 'Yuhan' (夕食) is composed of 'yū' (夕), meaning 'evening', and 'shoku' (食), meaning 'meal'. It literally translates to 'evening meal'.
Cultural Context
Dinner in Japan is often a time for family bonding. Many families strive to eat together, discussing their day. Traditional Japanese dinners often include rice, a main dish (like fish or meat), and several side dishes (vegetables, soup).
Memory Tip
Think of 'Yuhan' as 'Your Evening Meal'. The 'Yu' sound might remind you of 'you' and the evening time.
Frequently Asked Questions
4 questions「夕食」と「晩ご飯」は、ほとんど同じ意味で使われます。一般的に、「夕食」の方が少し改まった響きがあり、「晩ご飯」はより日常的で口語的な響きがあります。
食べる時間は個人や家庭によって異なりますが、一般的には午後6時から8時頃が多いです。仕事や学校が終わった後に、家族が集まって食べるのが一般的です。
多くの人にとって、夕食は一日の活動を終えてリラックスしながら栄養を摂るための重要な食事です。家族で集まる機会でもあるため、精神的な意味でも重要視されることがあります。
「夕食」は英語で "dinner" と言います。場合によっては "supper" と言うこともありますが、"dinner" が最も一般的です。
Test Yourself
今日の＿＿＿は何にしましょうか？
文脈から、夜に食べる食事について尋ねていることがわかるため、「ゆうはん」が適切です。
「夕食」は、一日のどの食事を指しますか？
「夕食」は、夜に食べる食事、つまり晩ご飯を指す言葉です。
食べる、私たち、夕食、は、もう、の、時間、です
「私たちの夕食はもう食べる時間です」という順番が最も自然な日本語の語順です。
Score: /3
Summary
Yuhan (夕食) refers to the evening meal, often the main meal of the day.
- Dinner, the evening meal.
- The main meal eaten at night.
- Commonly shared with family.
Think of 'Yuhan' as Evening Meal
Remember that 'Yuhan' specifically refers to the meal eaten in the evening, usually after the workday.
Don't Confuse with Other Meals
Be careful not to confuse 'Yuhan' with 'Chūshoku' (lunch) or 'Chōshoku' (breakfast).
Family Gathering Time
In Japan, 'Yuhan' is often a time for families to gather, share their day, and connect.
Examples
4 of 4今日の夕食はカレーライスにしました。
Today's dinner was curry rice.
皆様、まもなく夕食の準備が整います。
Everyone, dinner will be ready shortly.
「ねえ、今日の晩御飯（ゆうはん）、何にする？」
'Hey, what are we having for dinner tonight?'
夕食の栄養バランスを考慮した献立を作成した。
A menu considering the nutritional balance of dinner was created.
Related Content
This Word in Other Languages
Related Vocabulary
More food words
〜ほど
B1About; approximately; degree.
~ほど
B1About, approximately; to the extent of ~.
豊富な
B1Abundant, rich in.
ふんだんに
B1Lavishly; abundantly; generously (e.g., using ingredients).
足す
B1To add (e.g., to a sum, to ingredients).
添加物
B1Additive.
〜てから
B1After doing ~.
~てから
B1After doing (an action).
熟成させる
B1To age; to mature (food).
熟成した
B1Aged; matured.
