How do you say "bowl" in Japanese?

In Japanese, "bowl" is ボウル (bōru). It is a noun pronounced "boh-roo".

Listen to the pronunciation:

Illustration of bowl from Noun Town

Pronunciation

ボウル is written in katakana. Romanised as bōru, it sounds roughly like "boh-roo" to an English ear.

Example sentence

机の上にボウルがあります。

Tsukue no ue ni Bōru ga arimasu.

There is a bowl on the desk.

Usage notes

Bōru (ボウル) is the Japanese word for bowl. This noun appears in everyday contexts across homes, offices, schools, and public spaces.

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Questions about ボウル

How do you pronounce ボウル?

ボウル is romanised as bōru. Say it roughly like "boh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is ボウル formal or casual?

ボウル 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 ボウル written in Japanese?

ボウル is written using katakana. Katakana is typically used for words of foreign origin or to give emphasis.

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Japanese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation.