飯

• Reading: めし
• Romaji: meshi
• Kanji breakdown: 飯 (meshi/han) — rice, meal, food
• Pronunciation: /me.ɕi/

Meaning

Meal; food; cooked rice. A casual, masculine term for eating or meals.

A noun that informally refers to cooked rice or meals in general. More casual than ご飯 (gohan) and has a distinctly masculine tone. Common in expressions like 飯を食う (to eat, rough), 朝飯 (breakfast), 昼飯 (lunch), and 晩飯 (dinner). Often used among male friends and in informal settings.

Examples

1. 腹が減った、飯にしよう。 I'm starving — let's grab some grub.
2. 昼飯はもう食べたか。 Did you eat lunch yet?
3. うまい飯が食べたいな。 Man, I could go for some good food.

Usage Guide

Context: meals, male speech, informal

Tone: rough

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 飯 contains 食 (eat) and 反 (phonetic component). Originally referred specifically to cooked rice, the staple food, then extended to mean meals in general.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal