カステラ

also: カステーラ

カ

ス

テ

ラ

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun

castella; Japanese sponge cake

food / cooking

A sweet, moist sponge cake introduced by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. Now a classic Japanese confection, often made with flour, sugar, eggs, and starch syrup.

from Portuguese pão de Castella

お土産みやげに長なが崎さきのカステラを買かった。
I bought some Nagasaki castella as a souvenir.
カステラはふわふわで甘あまくておいしい。
Castella is fluffy, sweet, and delicious.

See all 10 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

カステラを焼やくto bake castella
祖そ母ぼは毎まい年ねんお正しょう月がつにカステラを焼やく。
My grandmother bakes castella every New Year.
カステラを一ひと切きれ食たべるto eat a slice of castella
お茶ちゃの時じ間かんにカステラを一ひと切きれ食たべた。
I had a slice of castella during teatime.
〈人ひと〉〉にカステラをお土産みやげに買かうto buy castella as a souvenir for someone
長なが崎さきに行いったので、友とも達だちにカステラをお土産みやげに買かった。
Since I went to Nagasaki, I bought castella as a souvenir for my friend.

Related words

スポンジケーキ
スポンジケーキ is a Western-style sponge cake that's typically lighter and used as a base for decorated cakes, while カステラ is denser and eaten on its own.
パウンドケーキ
パウンドケーキ is butter-based and heavier, while カステラ uses no butter or oil and has a finer, moister crumb.

Counted with

本ほんN5
A whole カステラ loaf is typically counted with 本, like a loaf of bread, while a cut slice is counted with 切れ.
きりN1
切り is used for slices or pieces cut from a larger cake; otherwise it is usually just counted with 個 or as a serving in context.
切きれN3
A slice cut from a カステラ loaf is counted with 切れ, while the whole uncut loaf is counted with 本.

Word family

台たい湾わんカステラ
Taiwanese castella; Taiwanese sponge cake
ベビーカステラ
bite-sized sponge cakes

Written forms

カステラUsage100%
Standard katakana spelling for this Portuguese-derived loanword.
カステーラ
Alternate spelling reflecting the original Portuguese pronunciation; rarely used in modern Japanese.

Etymology

From Portuguese 'pão de Castella' (bread of Castile), introduced to Japan via Nagasaki in the 16th century. The Japanese form dropped the initial 'pão' and adapted the pronunciation to カステラ.