饅頭(まんじゅう)

まんじゅう
noun
manju
food
1. manju, steamed bun with sweet filling
A traditional Japanese confection consisting of a wheat or rice flour outer layer filled with sweet bean paste (anko).
お土産(みやげ)に温泉(おんせん)饅頭(まんじゅう)を買(か)いました。
I bought onsen manju as a souvenir.
温(あたた)かい饅頭(まんじゅう)はおいしい。
Warm manju is delicious.
紅白(こうはく)饅頭(まんじゅう)は祝(いわ)いの席(せき)で配(くば)られます。
Red and white manju are distributed at celebrations.
饅頭(まんじゅう)の中(なか)には甘(あま)い餡子(あんこ)が入(はい)っていて、お茶(ちゃ)によく合(あ)います。
Manju is filled with sweet red bean paste and goes well with tea.
旅行(りょこう)に行(い)くたびに、その土地(とち)の名物(めいぶつ)饅頭(まんじゅう)を買(か)うのが楽(たの)しみです。
Every time I travel, I enjoy buying the local specialty manju.

Types

  • 温泉(おんせん)饅頭(まんじゅう): brown-skinned manju sold at hot-spring resorts, a common souvenir
  • 紅白(こうはく)饅頭(まんじゅう): a red and a white manju, given at celebrations
  • 薄皮(うすかわ)饅頭(まんじゅう): thin-skinned manju
  • 酒(さか)饅頭(まんじゅう): dough leavened with sake yeast
  • 葛(くず)饅頭(まんじゅう): translucent kudzu-starch wrapper, a summer sweet

Related words

  • 餡子(あんこ): the usual filling, either こし餡(あん) (smooth) or 粒餡(つぶあん) (chunky)

Cultural note

  • Manju came to Japan from China. 「饅頭(まんじゅう)こわい」 is a well-known rakugo story in which a man claims to be terrified of manju so that others will pelt him with them.

Related Words

Related: 和菓子(わがし) (Japanese sweets (category))
Related: 羊羹(ようかん) (sweet bean jelly)
Compare: 練(ね)り切(き)り (nerikiri (shaped wagashi))
Compare: あんまん (anman)
Related: 餡子(あんこ) (the usual filling, either (smooth) or)
core
Added 2026.1.14 22:31 · Revised 2026.9.30 1:25
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