Translation guide
The tenderloin is a specific cut of meat from beef, pork, or chicken. In Japanese, the term differs by animal, and the most common equivalent is ヒレ (hire) for beef and pork, while chicken tenderloin is ささみ (sasami).
beef/pork tenderloin
chicken tenderloin
The most tender cut of beef or pork, often used for steaks or roasts.
The standard term for beef or pork tenderloin. Often used in compound words like ヒレ肉 (hireniku) or ヒレステーキ (hire sutēki).
I made steak with tenderloin.
This tenderloin is very tender.
Loanword from English, used in some restaurant menus or imported meat contexts. Less common than ヒレ.
I ordered a tenderloin steak.
The small, tender strip of meat on the underside of a chicken breast.
Specifically refers to chicken tenderloin. Commonly used in cooking, especially for fried dishes or salads.
I like fried chicken tenderloin.
I put chicken tenderloin in the salad.
Literally 'chicken fillet', sometimes used but ささみ is much more common.
Chicken tenderloin is also called sasami.
The whole beef tenderloin as a primal cut, sometimes distinguished from the smaller filet mignon portion.
While ヒレ can technically refer to any fillet, in everyday Japanese, ヒレ almost always means beef or pork tenderloin. For chicken, use ささみ to avoid confusion.
Please give me chicken tenderloin. (unnatural)
Please give me chicken tenderloin. (natural)
Filet mignon steak is high-class.