昼食

• Reading: ちゅうしょく
• Romaji: chuushoku
• Kanji breakdown: 昼 (chuu) — daytime, noon; 食 (shoku) — meal, food
• Pronunciation: /tɕɯː.ɕo.kɯ/

Meaning

Lunch. The midday meal, equivalent to the casual 昼ご飯.

A noun that is the formal equivalent of 昼ご飯 (hirugohan) or お昼 (ohiru). Used in business, official, and written contexts: 昼食休憩 (chuushoku kyuukei, lunch break), 昼食会 (chuushokukai, luncheon). In everyday conversation, 昼ご飯 or お昼 is more natural.

Examples

1. 昼食は社員食堂で食べることが多い。 I usually eat lunch in the company cafeteria.
2. 会議が長引いて昼食を取る時間がなかった。 The meeting ran long and I didn't have time to eat lunch.
3. 昼食後に眠くなるのは自然なことだ。 It's natural to feel sleepy after lunch.

Usage Guide

Context: business, official settings, writing

Tone: formal

Origin & History

Composed of 昼 (chuu, daytime/noon) and 食 (shoku, meal/food). The 昼 kanji depicts the sun at its highest point, representing midday.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal