昼ごはん

• Reading: ひるごはん
• Romaji: hirugohan
• Kanji breakdown: 昼 (chuu/hiru) — noon, daytime
• Pronunciation: /çi.ɾɯ.ɡo.haɴ/

Meaning

Lunch; midday meal. The meal eaten around noon.

Compound of 昼 (hiru, 'noon/daytime') and ごはん (gohan, 'meal'). Common lunch options include bento boxes (お弁当), ramen, udon, and set meals (定食). Many workers eat lunch at their desk or in company cafeterias. The formal equivalent is 昼食 (chuushoku).

Examples

1. 昼ごはんはもう食べましたか。 Have you eaten lunch yet?
2. 今日の昼ごはんはラーメンです。 Today's lunch is ramen.
3. 昼ごはんを一緒に食べませんか。 Would you like to have lunch together?

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, workplace, school

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 昼 (hiru, 'noon/midday') and ごはん (gohan, 'meal'). Part of the regular meal-naming pattern. 昼 originally meant the bright time of day, from daylight hours.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal