フォーク

• Reading: フォーク
• Romaji: fooku
• Pronunciation: /ɸoː.kɯ/

Meaning

Fork. A utensil with prongs used for eating Western-style food.

A loanword from English 'fork,' always written in katakana. Forks are commonly used in Japan for Western food such as pasta, steak, and salad. Most Japanese restaurants that serve Western cuisine provide forks alongside or instead of chopsticks.

Examples

1. パスタはフォークで食べます。 You eat pasta with a fork.
2. フォークとナイフを並べました。 I set out the fork and knife.
3. このフォークは小さいです。 This fork is small.

Usage Guide

Context: meals, restaurants, kitchen

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Borrowed from English 'fork.' Became common in Japanese vocabulary as Western cuisine grew popular during the Meiji era.

Cultural Context

Era: Meiji era

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal