みかん

• Reading: みかん
• Romaji: mikan
• Kanji breakdown: 蜜 (mitsu) — honey, nectar; 柑 (kan) — citrus
• Pronunciation: /mi.kaɴ/

Meaning

Mandarin orange; tangerine; satsuma. A small, sweet citrus fruit extremely popular in Japan.

Specifically refers to the satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu), also called 温州みかん (unshu mikan). While the kanji 蜜柑 exists, the word is nearly always written in hiragana. Mikan are a winter staple in Japan, traditionally eaten while sitting under a kotatsu heated table.

Examples

1. こたつでみかんを食べましょう。 Let's eat mandarin oranges under the kotatsu.
2. このみかんはとても甘いです。 This mandarin orange is really sweet.
3. 冬にみかんをたくさん買います。 I buy a lot of mandarin oranges in winter.

Usage Guide

Context: food, seasons, daily life

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From 蜜柑, where 蜜 (mitsu) means 'honey/nectar' and 柑 (kan) means 'citrus.' The name literally describes the sweet flavour of this citrus fruit.

Cultural Context

Era: Edo period

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal