菓子

• Reading: かし
• Romaji: kashi
• Kanji breakdown: 菓 (ka) — confection, fruit; 子 (shi) — child, suffix
• Pronunciation: /ka.ɕi/

Meaning

Confectionery; sweets; snacks. A general term for sweet treats and snack foods.

A noun covering all types of sweets and snack foods. Most commonly heard with the polite prefix as お菓子. Subcategories include 和菓子 (Japanese sweets), 洋菓子 (Western sweets), and 駄菓子 (cheap candy). Widely used in daily conversation, especially around gift-giving and hospitality.

Examples

1. お土産にお菓子を買ってきた。 I bought some sweets as a souvenir.
2. 和菓子は見た目も美しい。 Japanese sweets are beautiful to look at too.
3. 子どもたちがお菓子を食べている。 The children are eating snacks.

Usage Guide

Context: food, gifts, daily life

Tone: positive

Origin & History

The kanji 菓 originally meant 'fruit' (from 艹 grass/plant + 果 fruit), as fruits were the earliest sweets. 子 (child/small thing) was added as a suffix. Over time, 菓子 shifted from meaning fruit to manufactured confections.

Cultural Context

Era: Classical

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal