• 豆まめ — bean
• 豆腐とうふ — tofu
• 豆乳とうにゅう — soy milk
• 納豆なっとう — fermented soybeans
• 小豆あずき — red bean
• 豆まめまき — bean scattering (Setsubun)

The character 豆 originally depicted a tall, footed vessel for offering or holding beans. Over time, it came to directly represent “bean,” a vital food source in Japanese cuisine. Beans are central in dishes like 豆腐 (tofu) and traditional practices like 豆まき to chase away evil spirits.

豆まめから豆腐とうふを作つくります。
We make tofu from beans.

節分せつぶんに 豆まめまきをします。
We scatter beans at Setsubun.

🎧 Listen to トウ and まめ