16
弁当

Bento


Meaning

Bento, Box Lunch

Word Type

noun

Explanation

You know how 弁 means dialect and 当 means success? Well, this isn't going to help you much, because this means bento or box lunch. Chances are, though, you know the word "bento" from English. So, if you read this word (which you should be able to) you can figure out it's べんとう. If you do that, you can realize this word means bento too!


Reading

べんとう

Explanation

This is a jukugo word, which usually means on'yomi readings from the kanji. If you know the readings of your kanji you'll know how to read this as well.


Context

Patterns of Use

Common Word Combinations

  • 弁当を食べる

    to eat a bento

    弁当を作る

    to make a bento

    弁当を買う

    to buy a bento

  • コンビニ弁当

    convenience store bento

    手作り弁当

    homemade bento

    仕出し弁当

    catered boxed lunch

  • 弁当箱

    bento box

    弁当屋

    a bento shop

    弁当作り

    bento-making

  • 弁当のおかず

    the dishes accompanying rice in a bento

    弁当の中身

    the contents of a bento

    弁当の注文

    an order for a bento

Context Sentences

学生の時は、母が毎日手作りのお弁当を作ってくれました。

When I was a student, my mother made me homemade bento boxes every day.

お弁当のおかずを少し残しておいて、子猫にあげました。

I left some sides in my box lunch and gave them to a kitten.

明日あなたにお弁当作ってあげようと思うんだけど、何か苦手なものとかあるの?

I think I’ll make a bento box for you tomorrow. Is there anything you’d prefer not to have?


Kanji Composition