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Japanese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "bean" in Japanese?
豆
mame
In Japanese, "bean" is 豆 (mame).
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Pronunciation
MAH-meh, just two short syllables, both with the same open 'ah' and 'eh' vowel sounds — easy to say quickly.
Writing and usage
豆 is written using kanji. It's a noun, and this word is also taught inside the Noun Town language learning game, where it appears in interactive lessons alongside hundreds of other everyday words.
Example sentence
彼はチリに缶詰の豆を加えました。
kareha chiri ni kanzume no mame wo kuwae mashita.
He added a can of beans to the chili.
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How to remember 豆
Mame is short and round, just like the bean itself — a tiny word for a tiny food.
Related words
- toast トースト toosuto
- cereal シリアル shiriaru
- pancake パンケーキ pankeeki
- omelet オムレツ omuretsu
- broth スープ suupu
- gravy グレービー gureebii
- sauce ソース soosu
- dressing ドレッシング doresshingu
- marinade マリネ液 marine eki
Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.
Questions about 豆
How do you pronounce 豆?
MAH-meh, just two short syllables, both with the same open 'ah' and 'eh' vowel sounds — easy to say quickly.
Is 豆 formal or casual?
豆 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.
How is 豆 written in Japanese?
豆 is written using kanji. Romanised, it reads as mame.
Where can I practice Japanese words for free?
You can play free Japanese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, with no sign-up needed. Every word in the Japanese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Bean" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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