みかん

noun

mandarin orange

1. mandarin orange, tangerine

A small, sweet citrus fruit with easy-to-peel skin. A winter staple in Japan.

こたつでみかんを食(た)べます。

I eat mandarin oranges under the kotatsu.

A typical winter scene in Japan

みかんを三個(さんこ)買(か)いました。

I bought three mandarin oranges.

このみかんは甘(あま)いです。

This mandarin orange is sweet.

冬(ふゆ)になると、スーパーにはたくさんのみかんが並(なら)びます。

When winter comes, many mandarin oranges are displayed at the supermarket.

みかんの皮(かわ)をむくのは簡単(かんたん)なので、子(こ)どもでも一人(ひとり)で食(た)べられます。

Peeling a mandarin orange is easy, so even children can eat them by themselves.

みかん (also written 蜜柑(みかん)) is the most common citrus fruit in Japan.

CULTURE:
Eating みかん while warming up under a こたつ (heated table) is a classic Japanese winter tradition. They are in season from November to February. 愛媛県(えひめけん) and 和歌山県(わかやまけん) are famous production areas.

COUNTING:
みかんは一個(いっこ)、二個(にこ)... (uses the general counter 個(こ))

VARIETIES:

温州(うんしゅう)みかん: satsuma mandarin (most common)
ポンカン: ponkan
デコポン: dekopon (sweet variety)

柑橘類(かんきつるい): citrus fruits
皮(かわ)をむく: to peel
薄皮(うすかわ): thin inner skin

core

Added 2026.1.7 21:18 · Revised 2026.2.23 22:24

01000/01036_mikan