noun
toffee; traditional Japanese toffee
A traditional Japanese candy made from sugar and water, often associated with Kyoto confectionery. The word is a loan from Portuguese 'alfeñim' and is now somewhat dated; modern Japanese more commonly uses キャンディ or 飴.
京都の老舗で有平糖を買った。
I bought traditional toffee at a long-established shop in Kyoto.
A general native Japanese word for hard candy or toffee; 有平糖 is a specific type of traditional toffee with a historical loanword origin.
From Portuguese 'alfeñim' (sugar paste), borrowed during the Nanban trade period. The kanji 有平糖 are ateji (phonetic equivalents) and do not contribute to the meaning.