じゃがいも

じゃ

が

い

も

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

noun

potato

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the common potato (Solanum tuberosum). Usually written in kana.

晩ばんごはんにじゃがいもをゆでた。
I boiled potatoes for dinner.
このじゃがいもは煮にくずれしにくい。
These potatoes hold their shape well when cooked.

Written forms

じゃがいもUsage44%
Standard hiragana spelling; usually written in kana.
ジャガイモUsage49%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling, common in botanical or culinary contexts.
じゃが芋いもUsage6%
Kanji spelling using 芋; recognized but the word is usually written in kana.
ジャガ芋いもUsage1%
search-only kanji form
Search-only kanji form; not a standard spelling.

Kanji

芋taro, yam, tuber

Similar words

芋いも
芋 is a broader term for tubers and root vegetables, including sweet potatoes and taro. じゃがいも specifically means the common potato.
サツマイモ
サツマイモ is the sweet potato, a different species with sweeter, often softer flesh.

Etymology

From ジャガタラ芋 (Jakarta potato), reflecting the historical introduction route via the Dutch East Indies. The exact derivation is uncertain, but the word is conventionally associated with this origin.