もやし

noun

bean sprouts

food

1. bean sprouts

Young sprouted beans, most commonly mung bean sprouts. A staple inexpensive vegetable in Japanese cooking.

もやしを炒(いた)める。

To stir-fry bean sprouts.

もやしはとても安(やす)い野菜(やさい)だ。

Bean sprouts are a very cheap vegetable.

ラーメンの上(うえ)にもやしがたっぷり乗(の)っていた。

There was a generous pile of bean sprouts on top of the ramen.

Writing

Usually written in hiragana. The kanji 萌(もや)し exists but is not commonly used.

Cultural note

One of the cheapest vegetables available at Japanese supermarkets, often used in stir-fries, ramen, and namul. Known as a go-to ingredient for budget cooking.

Common collocations

もやし炒(いた)め (stir-fried bean sprouts)
もやしのナムル (bean sprout namul)
もやしを茹(ゆ)でる (to boil bean sprouts)

Slang

もやしっ子(こ) refers to a weak, skinny person (like a bean sprout).

general

Added 2026.2.9 0:14 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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