炊く

• Reading: たく
• Romaji: taku
• Kanji breakdown: 炊 (sui/taku) — cook, boil rice
• Pronunciation: /ta.kɯ/

Meaning

To cook (rice); to boil (grains). Specifically used for cooking rice or other grains by boiling.

A Group 1 (godan) transitive verb. In modern Japanese, almost exclusively used for cooking rice: ご飯を炊く (to cook rice). Distinct from 煮る (to simmer/stew), 焼く (to grill/bake), and 茹でる (to boil). 炊飯器 (rice cooker) is a common derived compound. Essential kitchen vocabulary for daily Japanese life.

Examples

1. 毎朝ご飯を炊くのが日課だ。 Cooking rice every morning is part of my daily routine.
2. 新しい炊飯器でお米を炊いたらとてもおいしかった。 The rice tasted amazing when I cooked it in the new rice cooker.
3. 三合のお米を炊いておいてくれる。 Could you cook three cups of rice for me?

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, daily life, kitchen

Tone: domestic

Origin & History

The kanji 炊 combines 火 (fire) and 欠 (lack/yawn — depicting an open mouth). Originally 'cooking over fire to feed hungry mouths.'

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal