Translation and Meaning of: 食べる - taberu

If you are learning Japanese, you have certainly come across the verb 食べる (たべる, taberu). This simple word, which means "to eat," is essential in everyday vocabulary and appears in various situations, from casual conversations to animes and mangas. In this article, we will explore its meaning, origin, and practical usage, as well as interesting facts that make learning more engaging. Whether for making flashcards in Anki or understanding cultural nuances, here you will find valuable information about 食べる.

Meaning and use of 食べる in everyday life

食べる is a Japanese verb that means "to eat" and belongs to the group of ichidan verbs (also called ru verbs). Its conjugation is relatively simple, which makes it one of the first verbs students learn. Unlike in English, where "eat" can be used in more abstract contexts, 食べる generally refers to the physical action of ingesting food.

In Japan, the act of eating is surrounded by etiquette and specific expressions. Before a meal, it is common to say いただきます (itadakimasu), and afterwards, ごちそうさまでした (gochisousama deshita). Using 食べる (taberu) correctly includes understanding these rituals. For example, saying "ご飯を食べる" (gohan o taberu) sounds natural, but in formal situations, other terms like 召し上がる (meshiagaru) may be more appropriate.

Origin and writing of the kanji 食

The kanji 食, present in 食べる, has an interesting history. Originally, it represented a container with food and evolved to symbolize "to eat" or "food." It is composed of the radical 飠 (a variant of 食) and appears in other related words, such as 食事 (shokuji, "meal") and 食堂 (shokudou, "cafeteria").

One tip for memorizing this kanji is to observe its structure: the top part resembles a roof (like a place where one eats), and the bottom suggests a plate. Sources like Kanjipedia confirm this visual association, helping students to remember the character. Furthermore, 食 can also be read as "shoku" in compounds, such as in 和食 (washoku, "Japanese food").

Cultural curiosities and common mistakes

In Japan, the way food is discussed reflects cultural values. For example, in anime like "Shokugeki no Soma," 食べる is frequently used in scenes of culinary competitions, highlighting the importance of gastronomy in the narrative. Moreover, in informal situations, Japanese people may shorten it to たべる (taberu) or even たべちゃう (tabechau), which is a colloquial form.

A common mistake among students is confusing 食べる with 飲む (nomu, "to drink"). Although both involve consumption, they are used for solids and liquids, respectively. Another trap is trying to translate expressions like "eat a meal" literally—Japanese prefers 食事をする (shokuji o suru) in these cases. Be careful not to sound odd!

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 飲む (nomu) - to drink
• 食する (shokushuru) - Eat
• 食す (shokusu) - Eat (more formal form)
• 喰う (kuu) - Eat (more colloquial or informal use, may have a connotation of devouring)
• 食らう (kurau) - Eat (informal use, often suggests devouring or consuming in a ravenous manner)
• 啜る (suru) - Sipping (usually used for drinks or eating soups)
• 食べる (taberu) - Eat (standard and common form)
• 食み込む (hamikomu) - Swallow (usually suggesting complete absorption)
• 食らいつく (kuraizuku) - Attack or devour (suggests aggressiveness when eating)
• 食い込む (kuikomu) - Enter when eating (can suggest consuming until the end or penetrating deeply)
• 食い入る (kuiiru) - Dive or immerse while eating (usually used figuratively)
• 食いつく (kuituku) - Grab on while eating (suggests intensity)
• 食いつき (kuituki) - Adherence to eating (suggests intensity or attachment to food)
• 食い込める (kuikomeru) - Able to enter while eating (suggests potential for intense consumption)
• 食い込んでくる (kuikonde kuru) - To feel absorbed while eating (a sense of something becoming increasingly engulfed)
• 食い込んでいく (kuikonde iku) - Continue to eat (suggests a continuous process)
• 食い込んでくれる (kuikonde kureru) - Please enter to eat (friendly or polite use)
• 食い込んでくれた (kuikonde kureta) - Please enter while eating (past, friendly gesture)
• 食い込んでいた (kuikonde ita) - I was entering while eating.
• 食い込んでいる (kuikonde iru) - Is entering while eating (present continuous)
• 食い込んでいたら (kuikonde itara) - If you were entering while eating (conditional)

食べる

Romaji: taberu
Kana: たべる
Type: Noun
L: jlpt-n5

Translation / Meaning: eat

Meaning in English: to eat

Definition: Ingest something through the mouth or throat.

Example Sentences - (食べる) taberu

See below some example sentences:

食物は私たちの生きるために必要なものです。

Shokumotsu wa watashitachi no ikiru tame ni hitsuyōna mono desu

Food is necessary for our survival.

Food is necessary to live.

• 食物 (shokumotsu) - food
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 私たちの (watashitachi no) - our
• 生きる (ikiru) - live
• ために (tameni) - for
• 必要な (hitsuyou na) - necessary
• もの (mono) - thing
• です (desu) - Verb to be/estar

饂飩は日本の伝統的な食べ物です。

Udon wa Nihon no dentō teki na tabemono desu

Udon is a traditional Japanese food.

Udon is a traditional Japanese food.

• 饂飩 - Udon, a type of Japanese noodle
• は - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 日本 - Japan
• の - grammatical particle that indicates possession or relationship
• 伝統的な - Traditional
• 食べ物 - food
• です - verb to be in the polite form

過多な食べ物は健康に悪影響を与えます。

Kata na tabemono wa kenkou ni aku eikyou wo ataemasu

Excessive food intake has a negative impact on health.

Overeating has a negative effect on health.

• 過多な - excessive
• 食べ物 - food
• は - Topic particle
• 健康 - health
• に - target particle
• 悪影響 - negative effect
• を - object particle
• 与えます - cause

豆は健康に良い食べ物です。

Mame wa kenkou ni yoi tabemono desu

Beans are a healthy food.

Beans are good food for health.

• 豆 (mame) - means "bean" in Japanese
• は (wa) - grammatical particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 健康 (kenkou) - means "health" in Japanese
• に (ni) - grammatical particle indicating purpose or objective
• 良い (yoi) - means "good" in Japanese
• 食べ物 (tabemono) - means "food" in Japanese
• です (desu) - verb "to be" in Japanese, used to indicate a polite or formal manner

私は嫌いな食べ物があります。

Watashi wa kirai na tabemono ga arimasu

I have food that I don't like.

I have food that I hate.

• 私 (watashi) - Japanese personal pronoun that means "I"
• は (wa) - Japanese particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• 嫌いな (kirai na) - Japanese adjective meaning "hateful" or "unpleasant", followed by the particle na to indicate that it is an adjective
• 食べ物 (tabemono) - Japanese noun meaning "food"
• が (ga) - Japanese particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• あります (arimasu) - Japanese verb meaning "to exist" or "to be", in the present tense

昼食は何を食べますか？

Chuushoku wa nani wo tabemasu ka?

What do you eat for lunch?

What do you eat for lunch?

• 昼食 - lunch
• は - Topic particle
• 何 - what
• を - direct object particle
• 食べますか - Do you eat?

彼の好きな食べ物は何ですか？

Kare no suki na tabemono wa nan desu ka?

What is his favorite food?

What's your favourite food?

• 彼の - his
• 好きな - adjective "favorite"
• 食べ物 - Noun "food"
• は - Topic particle
• 何 - interrogative pronoun "what"
• ですか - interrogative particle

全部食べた。

Zenbu tabeta

I ate it all.

I ate it all.

• 全部 (zenbu) - means "everything" or "everyone"
• 食べた (tabeta) - is the past form of the verb "taberu", which means "to eat"

乳は健康に良い食べ物です。

Nyuu wa kenkou ni yoi tabemono desu

Milk is a healthy food.

Milk is a good health food.

• 乳 (nyuu) - milk
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 健康 (kenkou) - health
• に (ni) - target particle
• 良い (yoi) - good
• 食べ物 (tabemono) - food
• です (desu) - verb to be"

二つのりんごを食べました。

Futatsu no ringo wo tabemashita

I ate two apples.

I ate two apples.

• 二つの (futatsu no) - two
• りんご (ringo) - apples
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 食べました (tabemashita) - ate