スナック

すなっく
noun
snack; small Japanese-style bar
foodsociety
1. snack; light bite to eat
A light, casual food eaten between meals — chips, crackers, sweets, etc.
子供(こども)にスナックをあげた。
I gave the child a snack.
映画(えいが)を見(み)ながらスナックを食(た)べる。
I eat snacks while watching a movie.
袋(ふくろ)を開(あ)けた瞬間(しゅんかん)、スナックの香(かお)りが部屋中(へやじゅう)に広(ひろ)がった。
The moment I opened the bag, the smell of the snacks spread through the whole room.
2. Japanese-style bar with a hostess
A small, late-night drinking establishment, usually run by a female owner known as ママ. Customers chat with the owner, sing karaoke, and pay a flat seat charge plus drinks.
駅前(えきまえ)のスナックに寄(よ)った。
I stopped by the snack bar near the station.
父(ちち)は昔(むかし)よくこのスナックに通(かよ)っていたらしい。
My father apparently used to frequent this snack bar long ago.
初(はじ)めてスナックに入(はい)ったら、ママさんがいろいろ話(はな)しかけてくれた。
When I went into a snack bar for the first time, the owner-lady chatted with me about all kinds of things.

Loanword from English 'snack', but sense (2) is a distinct Japanese usage with no direct English equivalent.

Common collocations

  • スナック菓子(がし): snack food (chips, etc.)
  • スナックバー: snack bar (sometimes used for sense 2)
  • スナックのママ: the lady who runs a snack bar

CULTURAL CONTEXT (sense 2):
A スナック is small (often counter-seating only) and run by a single female proprietor. Regulars chat with her, sing karaoke, and pay a セット料金(りょうきょう) (flat fee) plus drinks. They're a fixture of Japanese nightlife, especially outside large cities, and quite different from a bar (バー) or pub (パブ), which lack the host/hostess relationship.

Similar words

Related Words

Compare: 間食(かんしょく) (between-meal eating)
Compare: お菓子(かし) (sweets / snacks)
Compare: バー (bar (drinking establishment))
Compare: ポップコーン (popcorn)
Compare: パブ (pub)
general
Added 2026.5.13 13:07 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:02
27500/27527_sunakku