食: the kanji for eat and food
食 is a JLPT N5 kanji that means eat, food. Below are its readings, 15 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
食 is written in 9 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
食 has 5 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 15 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ショク (shoku)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 食事しょくじ · shokuji | meal |
| 朝食ちょうしょく · chōshoku | breakfast |
| 昼食ちゅうしょく · chūshoku | lunch |
| 夕食ゆうしょく · yūshoku | dinner |
| 食堂しょくどう · shokudō | cafeteria |
| 和食わしょく · washoku | Japanese food |
| 外食がいしょく · gaishoku | eating out |
| 食品しょくひん · shokuhin | food products |
| 食欲しょくよく · shokuyoku | appetite |
| 会食かいしょく · kaishoku | business lunch or dinner |
ジキ (jiki)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 断食だんじき · danjiki | fasting |
くう (kuu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 食うくう · kuu | to eat (informal) |
たべる (taberu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 食べるたべる · taberu | to eat |
| 食べ物たべもの · tabemono | food |
| 食べ放題たべほうだい · tabehōdai | all-you-can-eat |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 一緒に食事をしませんか。Issho ni shokuji o shimasen ka.Would you like to have a meal together?
- 社員食堂で昼食をとります。Shain shokudō de chūshoku o torimasu.I have lunch in the staff cafeteria.
- 食べられない物はありますか。Taberarenai mono wa arimasu ka.Is there anything you can't eat?
- 今夜は取引先と会食があります。Kon'ya wa torihikisaki to kaishoku ga arimasu.I have a business dinner with a client tonight.
- 和食が大好きです。Washoku ga daisuki desu.I love Japanese food.
- 朝食は七時からです。Chōshoku wa shichiji kara desu.Breakfast starts at seven.
Questions about 食
How many strokes does 食 have?
食 is written in 9 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 食?
The on readings are shoku (ショク), jiki (ジキ). The kun readings are kuu (くう), kurau (くらう), taberu (たべる).
What does 会食 mean?
会食 (kaishoku) is a meal with other people, often a business lunch or dinner with clients or colleagues.
What JLPT level is 食?
N5. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N5 is designed to match the former Level 4.
More JLPT N5 kanji
Actions
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 食
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.