食事

• Reading: しょくじ
• Romaji: shokuji
• Kanji breakdown: 食 (shoku/ta) — eat, food; 事 (ji/koto) — matter, thing
• Pronunciation: /ɕo.kɯ.d͡ʑi/

Meaning

A meal; dining. Refers to the act of eating or to a meal itself.

A noun that functions as an intransitive suru-verb (食事する = to have a meal / to dine). More formal than ご飯を食べる (gohan wo taberu). Used for all three daily meals and for dining out. Common phrases include 食事中 (during a meal), 食事会 (dinner party), and 食事制限 (dietary restriction).

Examples

1. 家族と一緒に食事をするのが好きです。 I like having meals together with my family.
2. 食事の前に手を洗いましょう。 Let's wash our hands before the meal.
3. ホテルの食事はとてもおいしかった。 The food at the hotel was really delicious.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, restaurants, health

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 食 (shoku, food/eating) and 事 (ji, matter/thing). Literally means the matter of eating — a meal as an event or activity.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal