皿

• Reading: さら
• Romaji: sara
• Kanji breakdown: 皿 (sara/bei) — dish, plate (pictograph of a shallow vessel)
• Pronunciation: /sa.ɾa/

Meaning

Plate; dish; platter. A flat vessel used for serving and eating food.

Also used as a counter for servings of food, as in 一皿 (hitosara, one plate/serving). Japanese cuisine uses many different types and sizes of plates, and presentation on beautiful dishware is an important part of the dining experience.

Examples

1. お皿を洗ってください。 Please wash the dishes.
2. この皿に料理を盛りましょう。 Let's serve the food on this plate.
3. お皿が五枚あります。 There are five plates.

Usage Guide

Context: home, kitchen, restaurants

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese. The kanji 皿 is a pictograph showing a shallow dish or vessel, one of the simplest and oldest kanji related to daily objects.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal