Different names for Japanese food items

sushidushi · (#1 (**permalink**))

I have recently started to try to make some Japanese foods, using books and recipes I've found on the internet. My problem is finding the right ingredients. I don't have a specifically Japanese shop near me. The local Oriental / Chinese supermarket has loads of things that I don't recognise.

I wonder if there is, anywhere, a list of cooking ingredients with their names in Chinese, where they exist. I don't know if this makes sense, but I'm getting at is that I might be looking at what I want to buy, but I don't know it because it has a different name. Are those jars of red pickled ginger benishoga, for example? Or are the pickled plums from Hong Kong the same as Japanese umeboshi? I love browsing round the shops, but it can also be frustrating at times.

Nagoyankee · (#2 (**permalink**))

Just one question. Your title says 'Japanese food items', yet in your second paragraph, you say you want a list of cooking ingredients with their names in Chinese. Can you make up your mind?

sushidushi · (#3 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagoyankee

Just one question. Your title says 'Japanese food items', yet in your second paragraph, you say you want a list of cooking ingredients with their names in Chinese. Can you make up your mind?

Sorry, I was unclear. What I mean is that I am looking for things to make Japanese food, but because there are no Japanese shops near me, I try to find things in my local (mainly) Chinese supermarket. If the items are in the Chinese supermarket, they are likely to have Chinese names on them, rather than Japanese names. For example, I have never seen any noodles called chuka soba, which my cookery book mentions. Might that be because they are the same as chow mein noodles or something, for example?

Nagoyankee · (#4 (**permalink**))

I see what you're trying to do now. I'm a Japanese-speaker and I don't know enough Chinese to give you any list off hand. I will do some googling and get back to you. Even if I fail, I assure you that there are a few Chinese-speaking members on JF so there should be help available within a couple of days.

sushidushi · (#5 (**permalink**))

Thank you! I have even been unable to find ramen noodles, except in packages with artificial flavours of prawn/shrimp and so on.
I'll also continue to Google to see if I can find a list. I suspect that lots of people would find it useful.

It would help if I could speak Japanese or Chinese, or both! Or if I could read the packages. I love the look of Japanese writing, but it means absolutely nothing to me!

Nagoyankee · (#6 (**permalink**))

I found this site but it's between Japanese and Chinese.... It's a shame because it gives you the names for 658 items!!

BitEx日语辞典 | 中日·日中辞典

sushidushi · (#7 (**permalink**))

That is a pity! Thanks for looking. If I ever discover a site in English, I'll post it here...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagoyankee

I found this site but it's between Japanese and Chinese.... It's a shame because it gives you the names for 658 items!!

BitEx日语辞典 | 中日·日中辞典

TalnSG · (#8 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagoyankee

I found this site but it's between Japanese and Chinese.... It's a shame because it gives you the names for 658 items!!

BitEx日语辞典 | 中日·日中辞典

Can you tell me which link on the page you went to?
If you search for Bitex on google and find bitex.cn.com you can have google translate the page for you. But when I went to the food related lists I wasn't sure which one you were looking at. Unfortunately google also has a word limit on how much it translates, but you get most of the content.

Nagoyankee · (#9 (**permalink**))

The one I wanted to show is the one you should be directed to by simply clicking that link. I just tried again and it worked. The list starts with すいか (watermelon) and it consists of 40 pages.

EDIT: I hope I'm answering your question. I'm kinda computer-illiterate here.

TalnSG · (#10 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nagoyankee

The one I wanted to show is the one you should be directed to by simply clicking that link. I just tried again and it worked. The list starts with すいか (watermelon) and it consists of 40 pages.

EDIT: I hope I'm answering your question. I'm kinda computer-illiterate here.

hey you're doing fine. I found that list too along with several others. That's a great site - when I can get google to do a translation for me.