バズ飯

• Reading: バズめし
• Romaji: bazu meshi
• Kanji breakdown: バズ (buzz/going viral, from English 'buzz') + 飯 (meal/food) → viral food
• Pronunciation: /ba.zu me.shi/

Meaning

A viral recipe or dish that blew up on social media — food that went viral and everyone is making or trying.

バズ飯 combines バズる (to go viral, from English 'buzz') with 飯 (meal) to describe recipes and dishes that spread explosively on TikTok, Twitter/X, or YouTube. These are often simple recipes that anyone can make at home with just a few ingredients, or restaurant dishes so visually impressive that they get shared millions of times. バズ飯 drives real consumer behavior — ingredients sell out and restaurant queues form.

Examples

1. TikTokで見たバズ飯作ってみたら意外と簡単だった。 I tried making that viral recipe I saw on TikTok and it was surprisingly easy.
2. このバズ飯レシピ、材料3つでできるから最高。 This viral recipe only needs three ingredients, which is amazing.
3. バズ飯って見た目重視かと思ったけど普通に美味しかった。 I thought viral food was all about looks, but it was actually really good.

Usage Guide

Context: social media, friends, cooking

Tone: trendy, excited

Do Say

• 最近のバズ飯試した？ (Have you tried the latest viral recipe?)
• バズ飯作ったらマジで美味しかったよ。 (I made the viral recipe and it was seriously good.)

Don't Say

• 料理にこだわる人に「バズ飯でいいじゃん」は軽く聞こえる (Telling someone who takes cooking seriously to 'just make a viral recipe' sounds dismissive)

Common Mistakes

• Thinking バズ飯 only refers to restaurant food — it often refers to simple home recipes that went viral for their ease and deliciousness

Origin & History

From バズる (to go viral, from English 'buzz') + 飯 (meal/food). Emerged in the late 2010s-2020s as recipe content on TikTok and Twitter/X began driving food trends at unprecedented speed.

Cultural Context

Era: Late 2010s-2020s, driven by TikTok and Twitter/X

Generation: Gen Z and Millennials

Social background: Social media users, home cooks

Regional notes: Used across all of Japan. バズ飯 trends can cause ingredients to sell out at supermarkets nationwide.