前菜(ぜんさい)

ぜんさい
noun
appetizer
1. appetizer, hors d'oeuvre, starter
A small dish served at the beginning of a meal to stimulate the appetite. In Japanese cuisine, often consists of several small seasonal items.
前菜(ぜんさい)をお願(ねが)いします。
I'll have the appetizer, please.
コース料理(りょうり)の最初(さいしょ)に前菜(ぜんさい)が出(で)ます。
Appetizers are served first in a course meal.
前菜(ぜんさい)の盛(も)り合(あ)わせは見(み)た目(め)も綺麗(きれい)です。
The appetizer assortment looks beautiful too.
前菜(ぜんさい)は量(りょう)が少(すく)ないけれど、一(ひと)つ一(ひと)つ丁寧(ていねい)に作(つく)られています。
The appetizers are small in portion, but each one is carefully prepared.
イタリア料理(りょうり)の前菜(ぜんさい)には、生(なま)ハムやチーズが使(つか)われることが多(おお)いです。
Italian appetizers often include prosciutto and cheese.

前菜(ぜんさい) (literally "before-dish") refers to appetizers or starters.

前(ぜん) = before, 菜(さい) = dish/vegetable

In Japanese cuisine:

  • Often called 先付(さきづ)け in kaiseki
  • Features multiple small, seasonal items
  • Emphasizes visual presentation
  • Designed to stimulate appetite

In Western-style restaurants:

Meal structure:

Related Words

Contrast: 主菜(しゅさい) (main dish)
core
Added 2026.1.14 22:31 · Revised 2026.6.4 3:33
04500/04992_zensai