Hearing Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitts character) pronounce Gorlami to the “Italian” speaker Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) in the movie Inglorious Basterds reminds me of hearing all the mispronounced Japanese foods throughout social media, which is only a Google search away.
For the record, Christoph Waltz is not fluent in Italian, but for the role he killed it because he was fluent enough. The languages he is proficient in are English, German, and French.
You typically will not find most people saying na-gear-ree (nigiri), que-suh-dillah (quesadilla), foe (pho), or brew-shet-uh (bruschetta). Although we Americans have a diverse food culture, which contributes to pronunciation being a challenge, it may also be why most of us still struggle with the former and Japanese foods.
Gyro (Greek), fillet mignon (French), quesadilla (Spanish), pho (Vietnamese), and tonkotsu (Japanese) are a few words we Americans have to learn to pronounce, to not sound like fill-it mig-non, que-suh-dilla, foe, or tone-cat-sue.
You know, the OG sounding Murica with Orientals and Colored folk, so just give us a minute or a decade or two to figure it out.
So to make it easier on you, I have included common words and a few words that will help when traveling to Japan or eating Japanese food in coastal cities, which are often Japanese-owned and operated businesses (to help you blend in like an octopus in hentai).
Languages can be broken down into three categories: 1. syllable-timed, 2. mora-timed, and 3. stress-timed. Japanese is a mora-timed language.
I already went past my pay grade, but this is a key point to help you with pronunciation (except there is no way I can tell you the difference between morae and syllable timed).
My Latino homies typically always get Japanese words right (vs. my gringo homies) like with the pronunciation of sayonara because it is not too far off from de nada (sigh-yo-na-rah) and with Portuguese abrigado and arigato are not stretch from one another although I am obviously no linguist because English, Spanish, and Portuguese are all stress-timed languages, not mora-timed.
This is the Easiest Technique to Pronounce Japanese Food Words
With the popularity of Japanese food, I hope people spend the time to try and pronounce things correctly, although you do not have to take it to the level of rolling your “r’s” like a reporter pronouncing “burrito.”
Morae or mora-timed language means it is “a basic timing unit in the phonology of some spoken languages, equal to or shorter than a syllable.”
Via wikipedia.org (yes, I have donated to Wikipedia, and I suggest you do the same)
Like everything I do, I break things down into simple and easy ways that I can understand because I am a simpleton. With Japanese word pronunciation, my simple ways will help you break down words like gochisousamadeshita (go-chi-sou-sa-ma-desh’ta) by syllables or by kana (phonological units).
From Kana to Romaji
Just bust out your secret decoder below
Two Examples
How to Pronounce Mirin
| み | MI | “mee” |
| り | RI | “r/lee” |
| ん | N | “n” |
How to Pronounce Nigiri
| に | NI | “nee” |
| ぎ | GI | “gee” |
| ん | RI | “r/lee” |
Hiragana Characters
To sound more like Beatrix (GOOD), you have to make sure you time each kana/syllable equally, and you cannot draw it out like Lt. Aldo Raine (BAAAAAAD).
How to Pronounce Nigiri, Tonkotsu, Karaage, and Many Other Japanese Words like a Native
Thank you so very much for making the effort to learn the correct pronunciation.
I think making the effort to learn somebody else’s culture is a good thing, and I do the same with Russian and German words (unfortunately, individuals such as Christopher Kimball of Milk Street spends absolutely no time to learn basic words)
| HOW TO PRONOUNCE | DESCRIPTION/MEANING | LT. ALDO RAINE | BEATRIX KIDDO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age dashi | A deep-fried tofu dish in a soy sauce based broth. | age daaaaa’she | ah-geh-da-shi(she) |
| Arigato | “thank you” | areeeee’gah’toe | aa-ri-ga-to (ah-ree-gah-toe) |
| Borracho | universally understood word in Espanol for drunk in the BOH. | una cerveza por favor??? | bo-rr’acho |
| Bruschetta | Italian toasted bread, olive oil, garlic, tomato | brew’shet’tuhh | brus’ketta |
| Chikuwa | fish cake formed around a piece of bamboo or stick. | chick’a’waaah | chi-ku-wa (chee-koo-wah) |
| Daisuke | a common dudes name (sushi chefs name). | Die’sook’eee | die-su-keh |
| Edamame | immature soybean pods. | ed’ugggh’mommy (not your daddy) | ed-aa-ma-me (ed-aa-ma-meh) |
| Gochisou samadeshita | “thank you for this wonderful meal” (a polite expression after a meal). | (probably most won’t attempt it)??? | go-chi-sou-sa-ma-desh’ta |
| Gunkan | “battleship” sushi | gooon’caaan | goon-kahn |
| Gyoza | Japanese potstickers, steamed and pan-fried. | guy’ohhh’za | gi-yoh-zah (g’yo-zah) |
| Gyu-kaku | a chain of Japanese yakiniku restaurants. | Guy’you’cock’you | g’you-ka-ku(koo) |
| Hikarimono | “shiny fish” | he’caree’mono | hee-kah-ree-mo-no |
| Hirame | halibut (flukes and flounders). | hi, raaaam’me! | hi-ra-me (hee-rah-meh) |
| Hotate | scallop | ho’tate | ho-ta-te(teh) |
| Ikura | Salmon roe | eeee’coo’ruh | ii-ku-ra (ee-koo-rah) |
| Irasshaimase | “Welcome to the business/shop/restaurant.” | eeeeeee’raw’ shay/shy | ii-ra-shai-ma-say (ee’ra-shai-ma-say) |
| Itadakimasu | “I receive this food” (polite thing to say prior to eating). | eye’tada’key’ ma’suuue??? | ii-ta-da-ki-mas (ee-ta-da-key-mas) |
| Kanpai/ kampai | “drink your cup dry.” | (I think most get it right?) | ka-n-pa-i (kahn-pie) |
| Karaage | JFC (Japanese fried chicken). | carriage or ka’ raaaw’geeee | ka-ra-ah-geh |
| Kirin | Japanese beer brand. | Cuuuure-in | ki-r’in (kee-reen) |
| Maguro | tuna | ma’goooooo’row | ma-gu-ro (ma-goo-row) |
| Mirin | sweet rice wine | meeeeer’in | mi-ri’n (me’eeen) |
| Mou ippon | “one more” (especially beer +onegaishimasu added). | ??? | mou-ee-pon (mo-ee-pone) |
| Nakiri | A Japanese vegetable knife | nawwwww-cure-reee | na-ki-ri (na-key’dee) |
| Nigiri | a type of sushi, a bit of seasoned rice, with various toppings. | knee’ga’ree or nahh’giddeeee | ni-gi-ri (nee-gah-ree) |
| Oishii desu | “It’s delicious” | oh’eeeee’sheee | oye-shi(she)-des |
| Okanjo | (when asking for the bill with +onegaishimasu added). | ohhh’caaan’joe??? | o’kan-jo (oh-kahn-joe) |
| Omakase | leave it up to you (to the chef). | (I think most people get it right??) | oh-ma-ka-se (owe-mah-ka-say) |
| Onegaishi masu | (used when asking for things, the polite way). | own’a’guy’ she’must’you??? | own’a’guy-shi(she)-mas’ |
| Onirigi | rice ball | own’naw’gee’reeee | o’ni-gi-ri (oh-nee-gah-ree) |
| Panko | Japanese bread crumbs | pain’ko | pa-n-ko (pahn-koh) |
| Sake (alcohol) | rice wine | saaaw’keeeee | sa(saw)-keh |
| Sapporo | a region in Japan and a Japanese beer brand. | saaaw’pour’oh | (saw-po’row) |
| Sayonara | goodbye | sigh’yo’nar’ruuuuuh | sa-yo-na-ra (sigh-oh-na-dah) |
| Shiitake | mushroom | shit’take | shi-ta-keh |
| Tare | Basting sauce or flavoring for stock. | tar-raaaaay | ta-r’eh |
| Tempura | deep-fried seafood and vegetables. | tem’poooruuuuh | te’m-pu-ra |
| Teriyaki | teri=shine/luster yaki=grill | terry’yakeeeeeee | te-ree-ya-ki(key) |
| Tonkotsu | ton=pork kotsu=bone | tan’caaat’sue (always confused with tonkatsu) | to’n-ko-tsu(sue) |
| Udon | a thick white wheat noodle. | oooooh’dawn | ooh-d’own(doan) |
| Umami | savory | uuu’ma’am’me | u-ma-mi (ooh-mah-me) |
| Wagyu | wa=Japanese gyu=beef | waaaaaaag’you | wa-g’you |
| Yasai | vegetable | ??? | ya-sigh |
| Yakiniku | yaki=grill niku=beef | yakee’nikoo?? | ya-ki-ni-ku (ya-key-knee-coo) |
| Zuke | marinated in soy sauce (typically sashimi). | zooook?? | zoo-keh |
Well, I hope this helps, if you are like me and want to get the pronunciation of ethnic foods right, or if you plan on traveling to Japan or are producing content about Japan via social media, this is for you.
I will never forget the time I was in Appleton, Wisconsin at a Japanese restaurant, and I asked for the hirame (he-ra-may). The waitress responded back “you mean the hi-ram-me?” Yea, that one.
Maybe it was just a fluke (I hope you got that joke).
BTW, the character Beatrix Kiddo’s pronunciation was just ok, which is good enough for the majority of us to get by. Now, if only I could get Vietnamese down, aside from cafe sua da, bun bo Hue, and duh mah.
