• 食たべる — to eat
• 食事しょくじ — meal
• 朝食ちょうしょく — breakfast
• 昼食ちゅうしょく — lunch
• 夕食ゆうしょく — dinner
• 和食わしょく — Japanese food

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食 shows a container with food from the top — symbolizing nourishment. This kanji is at the heart of practical daily use in Japanese, covering everything from meals to etiquette.

It appears in compound words, verbs, and cultural expressions related to food and dining.

朝あさごはんを食たべました。
I ate breakfast.

何なにを食たべたいですか？
What do you want to eat?