おやつ

noun

afternoon snack; treat

informalcolloquialfood

1. afternoon snack; treat; sweets

A light snack or treat eaten between meals, traditionally in the afternoon. Originally referred to eating at the eighth hour (yatsu) of the traditional Japanese clock, around 2-3 PM.

おやつの時間(じかん)だよ。

It's snack time.

子(こ)どもたちにおやつを用意(ようい)した。

I prepared snacks for the children.

遠足(えんそく)のおやつは300円(えん)までと決(き)まっている。

There's a rule that snacks for the field trip can cost up to 300 yen.

Usage

A warm, everyday word used especially with children. The phrase 遠足(えんそく)のおやつは300円(えん)まで is a nostalgic cultural reference — many Japanese people remember this rule from elementary school field trips. The word comes from 八(や)つ時(どき) (the traditional time division for roughly 2-3 PM).

Common collocations

おやつの時間(じかん) (snack time)
おやつを食(た)べる (to eat a snack)
おやつを買(か)う (to buy snacks)
3時(じ)のおやつ (three o'clock snack)

Related Words

Related: お菓子(かし) (sweets, confections)

Compare: 菓子(かし) (confectionery, sweets)

Compare: おつまみ (snacks to accompany drinks)

Compare: 夜食(やしょく) (late-night snack)

Compare: 茶請(ちゃう)け (tea snack)

general

Added 2026.3.19 18:12 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01

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