一口大(ひとくちだい)

ひとくちだい
noun
bite-sized
size
1. bite-sized; one-mouthful size
A size that can be eaten in a single bite. Very common in cooking instructions and recipes.
野菜(やさい)を一口大(ひとくちだい)に切(き)る。
Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces.
鶏肉(とりにく)は一口大(ひとくちだい)にして下味(したあじ)を付(つ)ける。
Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season it.
I cut it into bite-sized pieces so that the child could eat easily.

Usage

一口大(ひとくちだい) is one of the most common instructions in Japanese recipes. It describes cutting food into pieces small enough to eat in one bite. The suffix 大(だい) here means "size."

Common collocations

  • 一口大(ひとくちだい)に切(き)る (to cut into bite-sized pieces)
  • 一口大(ひとくちだい)にする (to make bite-sized)
  • 一口大(ひとくちだい)にちぎる (to tear into bite-sized pieces)

Common patterns

Used as a noun that modifies with に: 〜を一口大(ひとくちだい)に切(き)る. The 大(だい) suffix meaning "size" also appears in words like 手(て)のひら大(だい) (palm-sized).