おかず

おかず
noun
side dish; accompanying dish
1. side dish; accompanying dish
dishes served alongside rice in a Japanese meal; anything eaten with rice as the main accompaniment
今日(きょう)のおかずは何(なに)？
What's the side dish today?
おかずを作(つく)り過(す)ぎた。
I made too many side dishes.
このおかずはご飯(はん)が進(すす)む。
This side dish goes really well with rice.

KANJI:
Can be written as 御菜(おかず) or 御数(おかず), but hiragana is most common.

JAPANESE MEAL STRUCTURE:

A traditional Japanese meal consists of:

  • ご飯(はん) (rice) - the main staple
  • 汁(しる)物(もの) (soup, e.g., 味噌汁(みそしる))
  • おかず (side dishes) - the accompaniments

COMMON EXPRESSIONS:

  • ご飯(はん)のおかず (side dish for rice)
  • おかずになる (to serve as a side dish)
  • 今日(きょう)のおかず (today's side dish)

RELATED:

  • 惣菜(そうざい) (prepared dishes, deli food)
  • 副菜(ふくさい) (side dish - formal)
  • 主菜(しゅさい) (main dish)
general
Added 2026.1.25 20:37
08000/08272_okazu