Translation guide
A confection is a sweet food, often elaborate or decorative. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is お菓子 (okashi), but depending on context, more specific terms like 洋菓子 (yōgashi) for Western-style sweets or 和菓子 (wagashi) for traditional Japanese sweets are used. The word 菓子 (kashi) is the base term, often used in compounds.
The broad category of sweet foods, snacks, and confections.
The most common and polite way to refer to sweets, snacks, and confections in general. Used in everyday conversation.
I want to eat some sweets.
This confection is very delicious.
The base word for confectionery, often used in compounds or formal contexts. Less common alone in casual speech.
Loanword from English 'sweets', often used for fashionable or Western-style desserts and confections.
Specifically cakes, pastries, chocolates, and other Western sweets.
Refers to Western-style confectionery, such as cakes, cookies, and chocolates. Often used in shop names.
I bought a cake at a Western confectionery shop.
Sweets made with traditional Japanese ingredients and techniques, often served with tea.
Traditional Japanese confections, typically made from mochi, anko, and other plant-based ingredients. Often artistic and seasonal.
Japanese confections are beautiful to look at.
A confection that is particularly decorative, artistic, or skillfully made.
Direct loanword from English, used in very specific contexts like high-end patisserie or artistic confectionery. Not common in daily speech.
This confection is a work of art.
Literally 'crafted confection', referring to highly decorative sweets, often made for special occasions or as art.
お菓子 is the general, everyday term for snacks and sweets, including both Western and Japanese types. スイーツ is a trendy loanword often used for fashionable desserts, especially in marketing or by younger people. In casual conversation, お菓子 is safer and more natural.
Let's go buy some snacks.
New sweets have been released.
In Japanese, お菓子 covers a wide range of sweet and savory snacks, including chips and crackers. If you specifically mean elaborate confections, you may need to add context or use a more specific term like 洋菓子 or 和菓子.
She made beautiful confections for the party.
This shop sells traditional Japanese confections.
Confectionery items are over here.
最近、スイーツにハマっている。
Lately, I'm into sweets.
I enjoy matcha and Japanese sweets.
Decorative confections are served at celebratory occasions.