Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.
配膳 (はいぜん) Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Freq. Frequency Top 50,000 Conjugation Meanings 1
noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', transitive verb, intransitive verb
setting the table ; arranging dishes
Refers to the act of placing dishes, bowls, and utensils on a table or tray before a meal, often in a formal or service context. Can be used as a noun or as a suru verb (transitive or intransitive).
きゅう
仕じ
の
人ひと
が
手て
際ぎわ
よく
配はい
膳ぜん
し
て
くれ
た
。
The waiter efficiently arranged the dishes for us.
Written forms 配はい 膳ぜん Usage 98%
Standard kanji spelling for setting the table or arranging dishes.
はいぜん Usage 2%
Kanji 配 distribute, spouse, exile Similar words 盛も り 付つ け 盛り付け focuses on the artistic arrangement of food on individual plates, while 配膳 is about placing those plates and utensils on the table for a meal.
膳ぜん 立だ て 膳立て can also mean setting a meal, but it often implies preparing everything in advance, sometimes with a nuance of making arrangements for someone else's convenience.
Etymology Compound of 配 (はい, 'distribute, arrange') and 膳 (ぜん, 'tray, small dining table'). The kanji combination directly reflects the meaning of arranging dishes on a table.
