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食料品店

A2 noun #5,000 most common 11 min read

食料品店

shokuryouhinten Top 5,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 食料品店 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 食料品店 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you are just starting to learn basic nouns for places. You might first learn 'mise' (shop) or 'sūpā' (supermarket). 'Shokuryōhinten' is a bit longer, but it is very useful because it combines words you will eventually learn: 'shoku' (eat), 'ryō' (ingredients), 'hin' (items), and 'ten' (shop). Think of it as a big word for a place that sells everything you need to cook at home. At this level, you only need to recognize that this word means 'grocery store' when you see it on a map or a sign. You don't need to use it in your own speaking yet—it's okay to keep using 'sūpā'. Just remember: if you see these four kanji together, it's a place where you can buy food like milk, eggs, and bread.

At the A2 level, you are expanding your vocabulary to include more formal and descriptive nouns. 'Shokuryōhinten' is the formal term for a grocery store. You should be able to use it in basic sentences with particles like 'ni' (to) and 'de' (at). For example, 'Shokuryōhinten ni ikimasu' (I go to the grocery store). You should also begin to notice the difference between this word and 'sūpā'. While you use 'sūpā' with your friends, you might see 'shokuryōhinten' in your Japanese textbook or on a sign in a shopping street. Learning this word helps you understand how Japanese compounds work. You can also start using it to describe your neighborhood: 'Watashi no machi ni wa shokuryōhinten ga takusan arimasu' (There are many grocery stores in my town).

At the B1 level, you are expected to handle more formal situations and read slightly more complex texts. 'Shokuryōhinten' becomes a standard part of your reading vocabulary. You will see it in news articles about the economy, in formal letters, or in descriptions of local businesses. You should understand that 'shokuryōhin' (groceries) is the object being sold, and 'ten' (shop) is the place. This allows you to understand related words like 'shokuryōhin-uriba' (grocery section). At this level, you should also be aware of the social context—small, independent 'shokuryōhinten' are a characteristic part of Japanese 'shōtengai' (shopping arcades), and they are often contrasted with large, corporate 'sūpā'. You can use this word in essays to sound more professional and precise.

At the B2 level, you should be comfortable using 'shokuryōhinten' in both written and spoken formal Japanese. You should understand the nuances of the word in a business context. For example, if you are discussing retail trends, 'shokuryōhinten' is the appropriate term to use. You should also be able to use it in complex grammatical structures, such as 'Kojin-keiei no shokuryōhinten ga genshō shite iru' (Privately-owned grocery stores are decreasing). You are expected to know the kanji perfectly and be able to distinguish this word from more specific terms like 'yaoya' (greengrocer) or 'ichiba' (market). You should also understand how 'shokuryōhinten' fits into the broader category of 'kouri-gyō' (retail industry).

At the C1 level, you have a deep understanding of the register and connotations of 'shokuryōhinten'. You can analyze its use in literature or high-level journalism. For instance, an author might use 'shokuryōhinten' to create a sense of formality or to describe a specific type of high-end establishment that doesn't fit the 'sūpā' image. You should also be familiar with the historical and socio-economic discussions involving 'shokuryōhinten', such as their role in supporting the elderly in 'shopping deserts' (kaimono-nanmin). You can use the word fluently in debates about urban planning, local economies, and food distribution systems. Your usage should be indistinguishable from a native speaker's formal register.

At the C2 level, 'shokuryōhinten' is just one of many tools in your linguistic arsenal. You understand its precise legal and statistical definitions used by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. You can discuss the evolution of the term from the Meiji era to the present day. You can use it in highly sophisticated ways, perhaps even ironically or metaphorically in creative writing. You are also aware of regional variations and how the term might be replaced by local dialect words in casual speech, yet remains the anchor in formal communication. Your mastery extends to knowing the most obscure compound words and being able to explain the subtle psychological difference a Japanese person feels when they hear 'shokuryōhinten' versus 'sūpā'.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

食料品店 in 30 Seconds

食料品店 (Shokuryōhinten) means 'grocery store' in Japanese.
It is a formal noun used in writing, maps, and official business contexts.
The word is composed of four kanji: Food + Ingredients + Goods + Shop.
In casual daily conversation, the loanword 'sūpā' is much more frequently used.

The Japanese word 食料品店 (shokuryōhinten) is a compound noun that translates directly to 'grocery store' or 'foodstuff shop'. To understand its depth, one must look at the constituent kanji: 食 (shoku) meaning 'eat' or 'food', 料 (ryō) meaning 'material' or 'ingredients', 品 (hin) meaning 'goods' or 'items', and 店 (ten) meaning 'store' or 'shop'. Together, they form a formal and comprehensive term for any establishment where the primary business is the retail sale of food products intended for home preparation and consumption. While the loanword スーパー (sūpā), short for supermarket, is significantly more common in daily conversation, 食料品店 remains the standard term used in official documents, business directories, and formal writing. It encompasses everything from small family-owned corner stores to specialized boutiques selling high-end ingredients. In a Japanese urban landscape, the distinction is often one of scale and register. You might tell your roommate you are going to the 'sūpā', but a city map or a formal lease agreement will categorize the commercial space as a 'shokuryōhinten'.

Etymological Breakdown: The term 'Shokuryōhin' (食料品) specifically refers to food products as a category of merchandise, distinguishing them from 'Shokuhin' (食品), which is a broader term for 'food' in general. The addition of 'Ten' (店) creates the physical location of commerce.

この近所に、新鮮な野菜を売っている小さな食料品店があります。(Kono kinjo ni, shinsenna yasai o utte iru chiisana shokuryōhinten ga arimasu.) — There is a small grocery store in this neighborhood that sells fresh vegetables.

In terms of usage, 食料品店 is often used when discussing the availability of resources in a specific area. For example, a real estate agent might highlight that a property is conveniently located near several 'shokuryōhinten'. It conveys a sense of stability and essential service. Historically, before the post-war rise of supermarkets, Japan was filled with specialized 'shokuryōhinten'—the greengrocer (yaoya), the fishmonger (sakanyasan), and the butcher (nikuya). The term 食料品店 serves as a collective noun for these types of shops or a general term for a shop that sells a bit of everything. In modern Japan, you will see this word on signs, in tax documents, and on government websites. It is a word that every A2 learner should recognize because it appears in reading materials much more frequently than it does in casual spoken dialogue. Understanding this word helps bridge the gap between 'survival Japanese' and 'literate Japanese'.

Contextual Register: Formal/Academic: High. Daily Conversation: Moderate (replaced by 'sūpā'). Official/Legal: Very High.

商店街の食料品店は、午後８時に閉まります。(Shōtengai no shokuryōhinten wa, gogo hachiji ni shimarimasu.) — The grocery stores in the shopping arcade close at 8 PM.

Furthermore, the word is essential for understanding compound terms like 'Yunyuu Shokuryouhinten' (Imported Food Store), which are popular in major cities like Tokyo and Osaka. These stores cater to expats and adventurous locals, offering goods not found in standard supermarkets. By learning this word, you also learn the 'hin' suffix, which appears in other shopping terms like 'denki-seihin' (electric goods) or 'nichi-youhin' (daily necessities). This pattern recognition is vital for expanding your vocabulary efficiently. In summary, while you might not say 食料品店 every day, you will definitely see it, read it, and need it to navigate the formal structures of Japanese society.

Using 食料品店 (shokuryōhinten) correctly involves understanding its role as a noun and its grammatical relationship with particles. Most commonly, it is paired with the particles に (ni), で (de), and の (no). When you are going to the store, you use 食料品店に行く (shokuryōhinten ni iku). When you are performing an action within the store, such as buying bread, you use 食料品店でパンを買う (shokuryōhinten de pan o kau). The particle の is used to modify other nouns, such as 食料品店の店員 (shokuryōhinten no ten'in), meaning 'grocery store clerk'.

Common Verb Pairings: 1. 探す (sagasu - to look for)
2. 経営する (keiei suru - to manage/run)
3. 立ち寄る (tachiyoru - to stop by)

仕事の帰りに、駅前の食料品店に寄りました。(Shigoto no kaeri ni, ekimae no shokuryōhinten ni yorimashita.) — On my way home from work, I stopped by the grocery store in front of the station.

One nuance to keep in mind is the size of the store. While 食料品店 can technically refer to a massive supermarket, it is more frequently applied to medium and small-sized shops in descriptive text. If you are writing a formal letter or an essay about local commerce, this is the term you should use. For instance, 'The local grocery stores are struggling due to the rise of large malls' would be translated using 食料品店. In contrast, if you are simply telling a friend you need to buy milk, 'Suupaa' is the natural choice. Using 食料品店 in casual speech might make you sound slightly overly formal or like a textbook, but it is never 'wrong'.

その食料品店は、オーガニック製品を専門に扱っています。(Sono shokuryōhinten wa, ōganikku seihin o senmon ni atsukatte imasu.) — That grocery store specializes in organic products.

In advanced sentences, you might see 食料品店 used as part of a larger compound, such as 個人経営の食料品店 (kojin keiei no shokuryōhinten) which means 'privately-run grocery store'. This is a common theme in Japanese social commentary regarding the 'shutter streets' (shattā-gai), where local shops are closing down. Thus, the word carries a certain weight of traditional community life. When using it, consider the image you want to project: are you talking about a generic place to buy food (Suupaa), or are you talking about the 'grocery store' as a business entity or a community fixture (Shokuryōhinten)?

While you might spend weeks in Japan only hearing the word 'sūpā', 食料品店 (shokuryōhinten) is ubiquitous in specific environments. One of the most common places is in **news broadcasts**. When a reporter discusses rising food prices or supply chain issues, they will almost always refer to the affected businesses as 'shokuryōhinten'. For example, 'Shokuryōhinten ni okeru bukka joushou' (Price increases in grocery stores). It provides a level of professional distance and accuracy that 'sūpā' lacks. Another place is **official announcements**. If a local government is providing subsidies to small businesses, the documents will list 'shokuryōhinten' as a qualifying category.

Where to Spot the Word: 1. Maps and Directories (Google Maps, Building Floor Guides)
2. Business News and Economic Reports
3. Formal Written Correspondence (Leases, Contracts)
4. Educational Materials and Textbooks

ニュース：『地元の食料品店での物価高騰が続いています。』(Nyūsu: 'Jimoto no shokuryōhinten de no bukka kōtō ga tsuzuite imasu.') — News: 'Price hikes continue at local grocery stores.'

You will also encounter this word in **literature and high-end journalism**. Authors use 食料品店 to set a specific tone. It can evoke a nostalgic image of a neighborhood shop where everyone knows each other, or it can be used to describe a sophisticated 'delicatessen' style shop in a wealthy district like Ginza or Aoyama. In these contexts, the word sounds more 'established' and 'refined' than the katakana 'sūpā'. Furthermore, if you are looking at a **floor map of a department store** (depāto), the basement level, known as 'depachika', is often formally labeled as the 'shokuryōhin' section, and the individual stalls might be referred to collectively as 'shokuryōhinten'.

不動産屋：『このマンションの近くには、24時間営業の食料品店があります。』(Fudōsanya: 'Kono manshon no chikaku ni wa, nijūyojikan eigyō no shokuryōhinten ga arimasu.') — Real Estate Agent: 'Near this apartment, there is a 24-hour grocery store.'

Lastly, in the context of **JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)** or other standardized exams, 'shokuryōhinten' is a favorite for reading comprehension passages. It tests the student's ability to recognize kanji compounds and understand formal nouns. If a passage describes a character's daily routine, they might 'go to the sūpā', but if the passage is about the economy of a rural village, it will discuss the 'shokuryōhinten'. Understanding where you hear and see this word allows you to adjust your own language to match the formality of the situation.

One of the most frequent mistakes learners make is **overusing** 食料品店 (shokuryōhinten) in casual conversation. While it is perfectly correct Japanese, saying 'Ashita shokuryōhinten ni ikimasu' to a close friend sounds a bit like saying 'I shall visit the foodstuff establishment tomorrow' in English. It’s too stiff. The natural choice for daily life is スーパー (sūpā). Learners often get trapped in 'textbook Japanese' where they only learn the kanji terms and forget the common loanwords that actually dominate spoken life. Use 食料品店 for writing, formal speeches, or when you want to be very specific about the 'type' of business.

Mistake vs. Correction: Mistake: (To a friend) 食料品店でパンを買おう！ (Too formal)
Correct: スーパーでパンを買おう！ (Natural)

Mistake: (In an essay) スーパーの経営は難しい。 (Too casual)
Correct: 食料品店の経営は難しい。 (Appropriate)

Another common error is **confusing it with similar terms** like 八百屋 (yaoya) or コンビニ (konbini). A yaoya only sells vegetables and fruits. A konbini is a convenience store (like 7-Eleven) which sells food but is not primarily a 'grocery store' in the sense of a place where you do your weekly ingredient shopping. 食料品店 is a broader term that implies a wider variety of cooking ingredients. Using the wrong term can lead to confusion if you are asking for directions. If you ask for a 'shokuryōhinten', people might lead you to a traditional shop, whereas asking for a 'sūpā' will lead you to a modern supermarket.

❌ 間違い: コンビニは食料品店と同じです。(Convenience stores are the same as grocery stores.)
✅ 正解: コンビニでも食料品を売っていますが、一般的には食料品店とは呼びません。(Convenience stores sell groceries, but they aren't generally called 'shokuryōhinten'.)

Finally, there is the **pronunciation and kanji writing error**. Because the word is four kanji long, learners sometimes trip over the 'ryō' sound or forget the 'hin' (品). The kanji 品 consists of three 'mouth' (kuchi) radicals, symbolizing many items or goods. Remembering this visual can prevent writing errors. Also, ensure you don't confuse 食料 (shokuryō) with 調味料 (chōmiryō), which means 'seasoning'. Asking for a 'seasoning shop' (chōmiryō-ten) is much more specific than asking for a general grocery store!

To truly master 食料品店 (shokuryōhinten), you must understand its place within the ecosystem of Japanese retail vocabulary. The most direct alternative is スーパーマーケット (sūpāmāketto), or simply スーパー (sūpā). This is the go-to word for daily life. However, Japanese has many specific terms depending on what exactly is being sold and the style of the shop. For example, if you are looking for fresh produce, 八百屋 (yaoya) is the specific term for a greengrocer. If you are looking for a meat shop, it's 肉屋 (nikuya), and for fish, it's 魚屋 (sakanya). 食料品店 acts as an umbrella term for all of these or a shop that combines them.

Comparison Table

Word	Nuance	Register
スーパー	Large, modern, self-service	Casual/Daily
食料品店	General food shop, formal category	Formal/Written
コンビニ	Small, 24/7, limited fresh food	Casual
商店 (Shōten)	Any 'shop' or 'store', very general	Neutral
市場 (Ichiba)	Market (often open-air or wholesale)	Neutral

Another interesting alternative is デパ地下 (depachika). This refers to the basement (chika) of a department store (depāto), which is famous for high-quality, often expensive, 'shokuryōhin'. While you wouldn't call a single stall a 'shokuryōhinten' in casual speech, the entire floor is the 'shokuryōhin uriba' (food sales area). In rural areas, you might encounter 直売所 (chokubaijo), which are 'direct sales offices' where farmers sell their produce directly to consumers. These are a specific type of 食料品店 focused on local agriculture.

A: 晩ご飯の材料はどこで買う？ (Where do we buy dinner ingredients?)
B: 近くのスーパーでいいよ。(The nearby supermarket is fine.)
C: (Formal sign) この先100メートルに食料品店あり。(Grocery store 100m ahead.)

Lastly, consider the word グローサリー (gurōsarī). This is becoming more common in trendy urban areas, particularly when referring to shops that sell fancy, imported, or 'lifestyle' food items. However, 食料品店 remains the most 'Japanese' and formally recognized term. When choosing between these words, think about your audience: use 'sūpā' for friends, 'shokuryōhinten' for business or writing, and 'yaoya/nikuya' when you are being highly specific about your shopping list. Mastering these synonyms allows you to describe your daily life with much greater precision.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

The 'hin' (品) kanji is three 'mouth' radicals. It literally looks like a pile of boxes or items ready to be consumed by mouths!

Pronunciation Guide

UK /ʃokɯɾʲoːçinten/

US /ʃoʊkʊrjoʊhɪntɛn/

Japanese is pitch-accented. In 'shokuryōhinten', the pitch usually starts low, rises on 'ku', stays high through 'ryōhin', and drops on 'ten'.

Rhymes With

Kaiten (Opening a shop) Heiten (Closing a shop) Shoten (Bookstore) Honten (Main store) Saiten (Festival/Grading) Manten (Perfect score) Kanten (Agar/Point of view) Shūten (Terminal station)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'ryō' as 'ryo' (short). It must be long.
Pronouncing 'hin' as 'hin' (like English 'pin'). It is closer to 'heen'.
Missing the unvoiced 'u' in 'shoku'.
Stress on the wrong syllable (Japanese is flat/pitch-based, not stress-based).
Confusing 'ten' with 'den'.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 3/5

The kanji are common but there are four of them. A2 learners should recognize them.

Writing 4/5

Writing four kanji compounds correctly requires practice, especially 'ryō' and 'hin'.

Speaking 2/5

Pronunciation is straightforward once you master the 'ryō' sound.

Listening 2/5

Easy to hear because it is a long, distinct word.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

店 (Shop) 食べ物 (Food) 買う (Buy) 野菜 (Vegetables) 肉 (Meat)

Learn Next

スーパーマーケット商店街 (Shopping arcade) 売り場 (Sales area) レジ (Register) 割引 (Discount)

Advanced

流通 (Distribution) 小売 (Retail) 消費税 (Consumption tax) 卸売 (Wholesale) 在庫 (Inventory)

Grammar to Know

Noun + に行く (Going to a place)

食料品店に行きます。

Noun + で買う (Buying at a place)

食料品店でリンゴを買う。

Noun + の + Noun (Possessive/Descriptive)

食料品店の名前。

Noun + がある (Existence of inanimate objects)

食料品店があります。

Compound Kanji Nouns

食料品 + 店 = 食料品店.

Examples by Level

ここは食料品店です。

This is a grocery store.

Noun + desu (copula).

食料品店に行きます。

I am going to the grocery store.

Ni (direction) + ikimasu (go).

食料品店でパンを買いました。

I bought bread at the grocery store.

De (location of action) + kaimashita (bought).

小さな食料品店があります。

There is a small grocery store.

Adjective + noun + ga arimasu (exists).

あの食料品店は安いです。

That grocery store is cheap.

Topic wa + adjective desu.

食料品店はどこですか？

Where is the grocery store?

Question word doko + desu ka.

母は食料品店にいます。

My mother is at the grocery store.

Ni (location of existence) + imasu (animate exist).

新しい食料品店ですね。

It's a new grocery store, isn't it?

Ne (confirmation particle).

駅の近くに食料品店があります。

There is a grocery store near the station.

No chikaku (near) + location.

食料品店で牛乳と卵を買ってください。

Please buy milk and eggs at the grocery store.

Te-form + kudasai (request).

この食料品店は夜遅くまで開いています。

This grocery store is open until late at night.

Made (until) + aite imasu (is open).

食料品店の隣に銀行があります。

There is a bank next to the grocery store.

No tonari (next to).

あそこの食料品店はとても有名です。

That grocery store over there is very famous.

Asoko (over there) + famous.

食料品店で果物を買いましょう。

Let's buy fruit at the grocery store.

Mashō (let's).

この町には大きな食料品店がありません。

There are no large grocery stores in this town.

Negative existence arimasen.

食料品店で店員に聞きました。

I asked the clerk at the grocery store.

Ni kikimashita (asked to).

地元の食料品店を応援しましょう。

Let's support local grocery stores.

Object o + mashō (let's).

その食料品店は、新鮮な魚で知られています。

That grocery store is known for its fresh fish.

De shirarete iru (known for).

食料品店に行く前に、買い物リストを作ります。

Before going to the grocery store, I make a shopping list.

Dictionary form + mae ni (before).

最近、食料品店で野菜の値段が上がっています。

Recently, vegetable prices are rising at grocery stores.

Te-iru (ongoing state/action).

この食料品店は、輸入食品も扱っています。

This grocery store also handles imported foods.

Atsukatte iru (to handle/sell).

食料品店の営業時間を調べてください。

Please look up the business hours of the grocery store.

Eigyō jikan (business hours).

多くの食料品店がレジ袋を有料にしました。

Many grocery stores have made plastic bags cost money.

O + ni suru (to make/decide).

食料品店で働くのは大変だと思います。

I think working at a grocery store is hard.

No wa + adjective + to omoimasu.

個人経営の食料品店が、大型スーパーに押されています。

Privately owned grocery stores are being pressured by large supermarkets.

Passive voice (osarete iru).

その食料品店は、地域住民にとって重要な交流の場です。

That grocery store is an important place of interaction for local residents.

Ni totte (for/to someone).

食料品店での万引き防止対策が強化されています。

Shoplifting prevention measures at grocery stores are being strengthened.

Bōshi taisaku (prevention measures).

環境に配慮した食料品店が増えています。

Grocery stores that consider the environment are increasing.

Ni hairyo shita (environmentally conscious).

食料品店の棚には、季節の食材が並んでいます。

Seasonal ingredients are lined up on the grocery store shelves.

Narande imasu (are lined up).

彼は代々続く食料品店を継ぐ決心をしました。

He decided to take over the grocery store that has continued for generations.

Kesshin o shimashita (made a decision).

食料品店は、災害時の食料供給拠点としての役割も担います。

Grocery stores also play a role as food supply bases during disasters.

To shite no yakuwari (role as).

消費税の増税は、食料品店の売り上げに影響を与えました。

The consumption tax increase affected grocery store sales.

Ni eikyō o ataeru (to influence).

都市開発に伴い、古くからの食料品店が姿を消しつつあります。

With urban development, long-standing grocery stores are gradually disappearing.

Tsutsu aru (in the process of).

食料品店におけるフードロスの削減が急務となっています。

Reducing food loss in grocery stores has become an urgent task.

Ni okeru (in/at) + kyūmu (urgent task).

その食料品店は、独自の流通ルートを確保することで差別化を図っています。

That grocery store aims to differentiate itself by securing its own distribution routes.

Koto de (by means of) + sabetsuka (differentiation).

小規模な食料品店が生き残るためには、付加価値の提供が不可欠です。

In order for small-scale grocery stores to survive, providing added value is essential.

Tame ni wa (in order to) + fukakachi (added value).

食料品店の陳列方法は、消費者の購買意欲を左右します。

The way grocery stores display items influences consumers' desire to buy.

Sayū suru (to influence/control).

過疎地では、唯一の食料品店が閉店すると生活が困難になります。

In depopulated areas, life becomes difficult when the only grocery store closes.

To (conditional 'when/if').

食料品店と地域社会の連携が、高齢者の見守り活動に繋がっています。

The collaboration between grocery stores and the local community leads to monitoring activities for the elderly.

Ni tsunagatte iru (leads to).

ネットスーパーの普及は、実店舗の食料品店にとって大きな脅威です。

The spread of online supermarkets is a major threat to physical grocery stores.

Jippo-ten (physical store) + kyōi (threat).

食料品店は、単なる小売業態を超え、地域文化の集積地としての側面を有する。

Grocery stores transcend simple retail formats and possess an aspect as a hub for local culture.

Noun + to shite no sokumen (aspect as).

グローバル資本の参入により、伝統的な食料品店の存立基盤が揺るがされている。

The entry of global capital is shaking the foundation of traditional grocery stores' existence.

Yurugasarete iru (is being shaken).

食料品店の経営戦略において、顧客データの分析は今や避けて通れない。

In the management strategy of grocery stores, analyzing customer data is now unavoidable.

Sakete tōrenai (cannot avoid).

食料品店が提示する「食の安全」は、現代社会における倫理的課題を内包している。

The 'food safety' presented by grocery stores encompasses ethical issues in modern society.

Naihō shite iru (to encompass/contain).

無人決済システムの導入は、食料品店の労働力不足を解消する一助となる。

The introduction of unmanned payment systems will help alleviate labor shortages in grocery stores.

Ichijo to naru (to be a help/aid).

食料品店という空間は、都市生活者の孤独を癒やす緩衝材としての機能を果たし得る。

The space of a grocery store can function as a buffer that heals the loneliness of urban dwellers.

Hatashi uru (can fulfill).

サプライチェーンの脆弱性は、食料品店の棚から商品を瞬時に消失させる。

Vulnerabilities in the supply chain cause products to vanish instantly from grocery store shelves.

Shunji ni (instantly) + shōshitsu (disappearance).

食料品店の再定義こそが、疲弊した地方都市の再生への鍵を握っている。

The redefinition of the grocery store holds the key to the revitalization of exhausted regional cities.

Koso (emphasis) + kagi o nigitte iru (holds the key).

Common Collocations

食料品店を経営する

近くの食料品店

地元の食料品店

食料品店の店員

食料品店の棚

24時間営業の食料品店

高級食料品店

食料品店を探す

食料品店で働く

食料品店が並ぶ

Common Phrases

食料品店に行く

— To go to the grocery store. Used for the action of leaving home to shop.

夕食の前に食料品店に行く。

食料品店で買う

— To buy at the grocery store. Specifies the location of purchase.

これは食料品店で買った卵です。

最寄りの食料品店

— The nearest grocery store. Common in directions or real estate.

最寄りの食料品店まで徒歩5分です。

個人経営の食料品店

— A mom-and-pop grocery store. Refers to small businesses.

個人経営の食料品店が減っている。

輸入食料品店

— An imported food store. A shop specializing in foreign goods.

輸入食料品店でチーズを買う。

食料品店のチラシ

— Grocery store flyer/circular. Used for checking sales.

食料品店のチラシをチェックする。

食料品店のレジ

— Grocery store checkout/register.

食料品店のレジで並ぶ。

食料品店の袋

— Grocery store bag (usually plastic or paper).

食料品店の袋を再利用する。

食料品店のオーナー

— Grocery store owner.

食料品店のオーナーと仲良くなる。

食料品店巡り

— Grocery store hopping/touring. Often used as a hobby.

週末は珍しい食料品店巡りをする。

Often Confused With

食料品店 vs 飲食店 (Inshokuten)

This is a restaurant where you eat. 'Shokuryōhinten' is where you buy ingredients.

食料品店 vs 八百屋 (Yaoya)

A yaoya only sells vegetables/fruit. A shokuryōhinten is more general.

食料品店 vs 商店 (Shoten)

Shoten is any shop. Shokuryōhinten is specifically for food.

Idioms & Expressions

"食料品店の角を曲がる"

— To turn the corner at the grocery store. A common way to give directions.

その食料品店の角を左に曲がってください。

Neutral

"食料品店は生活の生命線"

— The grocery store is the lifeline of daily life. Emphasizes importance.

この村にとって、あの食料品店は生活の生命線だ。

Formal

"食料品店に駆け込む"

— To rush into a grocery store. Usually implies urgency.

雨が降ってきたので、食料品店に駆け込んだ。

Neutral

"食料品店が軒を連ねる"

— Grocery stores stand side by side. Describes a busy shopping street.

昔はこの通りに食料品店が軒を連ねていた。

Literary

"食料品店の顔"

— The 'face' of the grocery store. Refers to a signature product or person.

この新鮮なリンゴは、あの食料品店の顔だ。

Neutral

"食料品店で油を売る"

— To idle or loiter at the grocery store (derived from the idiom 'abura o uru').

買い物ついでに食料品店で油を売ってしまった。

Informal

"食料品店の知恵"

— Grocery store wisdom. Refers to practical knowledge about food.

食料品店の店主に、美味しい大根の選び方を教わるのは食料品店の知恵だ。

Neutral

"食料品店をはしごする"

— To go from one grocery store to another to find the best deals.

安い卵を求めて食料品店をはしごした。

Informal

"食料品店に並ぶ"

— To be displayed in a grocery store. Often used for new products.

新商品がようやく食料品店に並んだ。

Neutral

"食料品店のお墨付き"

— The grocery store's 'seal of approval'. Implies high quality.

これは地元の食料品店のお墨付きの肉だ。

Neutral

Easily Confused

食料品店 vs 食品 (Shokuhin)

Both start with 'Shoku'.

'Shokuhin' is food as a general concept. 'Shokuryōhin' refers to food as a product or ingredient for cooking.

食品安全 (Food safety) vs. 食料品店 (Grocery store).

食料品店 vs 食料 (Shokuryō)

Almost identical.

'Shokuryō' is the foodstuff itself. 'Shokuryōhinten' is the store.

食料を蓄える (Store food) vs. 食料品店に行く (Go to the store).

食料品店 vs 売店 (Baiten)

Both end in 'Ten'.

'Baiten' is a small kiosk or stand (like at a station). 'Shokuryōhinten' is a full grocery store.

駅の売店 (Station kiosk).

食料品店 vs 市場 (Ichiba)

Both sell food.

'Ichiba' is a market with multiple vendors. 'Shokuryōhinten' is usually a single shop.

築地市場 (Tsukiji Market).

食料品店 vs 料理店 (Ryōriten)

Contains 'Ryō' and 'Ten'.

'Ryōriten' is a restaurant (place for cooked dishes). 'Shokuryōhinten' is for raw ingredients.

日本料理店 (Japanese restaurant).

Sentence Patterns

[Place] は [Noun] です。

ここは食料品店です。

[Place] に行きます。

食料品店に行きます。

[Place] で [Item] を買います。

食料品店で肉を買います。

[Location] に [Place] があります。

あそこに食料品店があります。

[Place] は [Adjective] です。

その食料品店はとても便利です。

[Place] の [Noun] は [Adjective] です。

食料品店の果物は新鮮です。

[Place] を経営するのは [Adjective] です。

食料品店を経営するのは大変です。

[Place] における [Noun] の役割。

食料品店におけるコミュニティの役割。

Word Family

Nouns

食料 (Foodstuff)

食料品 (Groceries)

店 (Shop)

店主 (Shopkeeper)

店員 (Clerk)

Verbs

店を開く (Open a shop)

店を閉める (Close a shop)

Adjectives

店が広い (The shop is spacious)

スーパーマーケット

商店街

小売業

食生活

買い物

How to Use It

frequency

High in writing, Medium in speech.

Common Mistakes

Saying 'Shokuhinten' instead of 'Shokuryōhinten'. → 食料品店 (Shokuryōhinten)
While 'Shokuhinten' might be understood, the standard term for a grocery store includes the 'ryō' for ingredients.
Using 'Shokuryōhinten' for a restaurant. → 飲食店 (Inshokuten) or レストラン
A grocery store sells raw food; a restaurant sells cooked meals. Don't mix them up!
Writing '料' as '科'. → 料 (Material) vs. 科 (Department/Science)
The left side is the same (rice radical), but the right side is different. '料' is for 'ryōri' (cooking).
Using 'sūpā' in a formal business report. → 食料品店
'Sūpā' is too casual for academic or professional writing. Use the kanji compound.
Confusing 'Ten' (Shop) with 'Ten' (Point/Dot). → 店 (Shop) vs. 点 (Point)
They sound the same but have different kanji. In this context, it is always 'Shop'.

Tips

Visit a Shōtengai

To see real 'shokuryōhinten', visit a traditional shopping street. You'll see the word on signs and experience the local shopping culture.

Particle Choice

Use 'ni' for movement toward the store and 'de' for shopping inside it. This is a common point of confusion for beginners.

Learn the Suffix -Ten

Many shop names end in 'Ten'. Learning this helps you identify shops even if you don't know the first part of the word.

Master the Pitch

Avoid stressing one syllable. Try to keep a steady, flowing pitch that slightly rises and falls naturally.

Look for 'Shoku'

Whenever you see '食', it almost always means food. This is your biggest clue when reading signs in Japan.

Kanji Balance

When writing the full word, try to keep all four kanji the same size so the compound looks balanced.

Context Clues

If you hear 'ryouhin', even if you miss the 'shoku', you can guess it's about some kind of goods or items.

Kanji Meaning

Remember: Food + Material + Goods + Shop. This logical flow makes the long word much easier to digest.

Daily Labels

Try labeling your grocery bags with '食料品店' to reinforce the word every time you come home from shopping.

App Search

Search for '食料品店' in a Japanese app like Tabelog or Google Maps to see the variety of shops it covers.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'SHOCKing REAL HINts at the TEN'. You are SHOCKed (Shoku) by the REAL (Ryou) HINts (Hin) given by the TEN (Ten) shopkeepers about where the best food is.

Visual Association

Imagine four boxes in a row. Box 1: A fork (Eat). Box 2: A bag of flour (Material). Box 3: Three boxes stacked (Goods). Box 4: A building with a sign (Shop).

Word Web

Groceries Shop Food Supermarket Clerk Aisle Register Cart

Challenge

Try to find the word '食料品店' on a Japanese map or a restaurant guide website today.

Word Origin

Formed in the modern era as a descriptive compound for retail food businesses. It uses Sinitic (on-yomi) readings for all kanji, common for formal and technical terms.

Original meaning: A place (店) that sells items (品) which are materials (料) for eating (食).

Sino-Japanese (Kango).

Cultural Context

No specific sensitivities. It is a neutral, polite term.

Equivalent to 'grocery store' or 'food market'. In the UK, 'off-licence' or 'corner shop' might be similar in scale but different in products.

Midnight Diner (Shinya Shokudo) often features ingredients from local shokuryōhinten. Ghibli movies often show detailed, nostalgic shokuryōhinten in the background. Traditional Japanese literature often uses the term to describe the bustling life of the city.

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Grocery Shopping

買い物カゴ (Shopping basket)
特売 (Special sale)
賞味期限 (Expiration date)
お会計 (Check out)

Giving Directions

角の店 (Corner shop)
向かい側 (Opposite side)
通り沿い (Along the street)
目印 (Landmark)

Business/Economics

市場価格 (Market price)
供給不足 (Supply shortage)
店舗数 (Number of stores)
顧客満足度 (Customer satisfaction)

Real Estate

利便性 (Convenience)
徒歩圏内 (Within walking distance)
生活環境 (Living environment)
周辺施設 (Surrounding facilities)

Daily Life

夕食の準備 (Dinner prep)
買い出し (Shopping trip)
冷蔵庫 (Refrigerator)
品切れ (Out of stock)

Conversation Starters

"この近くに良い食料品店はありますか？ (Is there a good grocery store near here?)"

"いつもどこの食料品店で買い物をしていますか？ (Where do you usually do your grocery shopping?)"

"あの食料品店の野菜はとても新鮮ですよ。 (The vegetables at that grocery store are very fresh.)"

"食料品店が閉まる前に、急いで行かないといけません。 (I have to hurry to the grocery store before it closes.)"

"最近、食料品店の値段が高くなったと思いませんか？ (Don't you think prices at grocery stores have gone up recently?)"

Journal Prompts

今日、食料品店で何を買いましたか？詳しく書いてください。 (What did you buy at the grocery store today? Write in detail.)

あなたの理想の食料品店はどんな店ですか？ (What kind of store is your ideal grocery store?)

地元の食料品店と大きなスーパー、どちらが好きですか？理由は？ (Do you like local grocery stores or big supermarkets? Why?)

食料品店で見た面白い商品について書いてください。 (Write about an interesting product you saw at a grocery store.)

もし自分が食料品店を開くなら、何を売りたいですか？ (If you were to open a grocery store, what would you want to sell?)

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Technically, yes, a supermarket is a type of 'shokuryōhinten'. However, in daily life, people use 'sūpā' for modern supermarkets and 'shokuryōhinten' for more traditional or formal descriptions of food shops.

You can, but it might sound a bit formal. It's like saying 'I'm going to the food retail establishment' instead of 'I'm going to the store'. 'Sūpā' is better for friends.

'Shokuhin' is the broad term for 'food' (like in 'food science'). 'Shokuryō' often refers to 'food supplies' or 'ingredients'. 'Shokuryōhin' specifically refers to food as a commodity sold in a store.

It is three 'mouth' (口) radicals. One on top, and two below. It's very easy once you see the pattern!

No, they are called 'konbini'. While they sell food, their primary category is 'convenience store', not 'grocery store'.

Japanese often uses long compounds to be very precise. Each part (Food + Ingredients + Goods + Shop) adds a specific layer of meaning.

Yes, it frequently appears in N4 and N3 level reading sections, and as a vocabulary word for N5/N4 learners.

Generally no. A liquor store is a 'sakaya'. However, a large 'shokuryōhinten' will often have a 'sake' section.

It means 'grocery sales area'. You will see this on signs in department stores.

Yes, especially in traditional shopping arcades (Shōtengai). Look for the four kanji!