Translation guide
The yellow center of an egg, used in cooking and eating. In Japanese, the most common word is 卵黄 (らんおう), but in everyday contexts, 黄身 (きみ) is more natural. Note that 黄身 specifically refers to the yolk of a chicken egg, while 卵黄 is the general term.
Referring to the yolk as a food ingredient or part of a dish.
The standard term for egg yolk, used in cooking, nutrition, and formal contexts. It can refer to the yolk of any bird egg.
このレシピでは卵黄だけを使います。
This recipe uses only egg yolks.
卵黄にはビタミンが豊富に含まれています。
Egg yolks are rich in vitamins.
Commonly used in everyday conversation and cooking, but specifically refers to the yolk of a chicken egg. It is more casual than 卵黄.
目玉焼きの黄身は半熟が好きです。
I like the yolk of my fried egg runny.
卵を割って、黄身と白身を分けてください。
Crack the egg and separate the yolk from the white.
A slightly more explicit phrase meaning 'the yolk of an egg'. It is natural and clear, often used when the context requires specifying 'egg'.
卵の黄身だけを使ってマヨネーズを作ります。
I make mayonnaise using only egg yolks.
Describing the action of separating yolk from white, or referring to the yolk as a component.
The natural way to say 'separate the yolk'. Use 黄身 (きみ) in everyday cooking contexts.
まず、黄身を分けてください。
First, please separate the yolks.
A more technical or formal way to say 'separate the yolk', using 卵黄 and the verb 分離する. Rare in everyday speech.
実験では卵黄を分離する必要があります。
In the experiment, it is necessary to separate the egg yolk.
卵黄 (らんおう) is the general term for the yolk of any bird egg, used in formal, technical, and culinary contexts. 黄身 (きみ) specifically means the yolk of a chicken egg and is more common in daily conversation and home cooking. If you're talking about a chicken egg in a casual setting, 黄身 is more natural. If you're reading a recipe or discussing nutrition, 卵黄 is often used.