和わ菓が子し

わ

が

し

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

traditional Japanese confectionery; wagashi

Refers to traditional Japanese sweets, often made from ingredients like rice flour, sweet bean paste, and agar. Contrasts with Western-style sweets (洋菓子).

京きょう都とで美うつくしい和わ菓が子しを買かった。
I bought beautiful traditional Japanese sweets in Kyoto.
和わ菓が子しは洋よう菓が子しより甘あまさが控ひかえめなものが多おおい。
Many wagashi are less sweet than Western-style sweets.

See all 87 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

和わ菓が子しと抹まっ茶ちゃwagashi paired with matcha tea
お茶ちゃ会かいでは和わ菓が子しと抹まっ茶ちゃが振ふる舞まわれた。
At the tea ceremony, wagashi and matcha were served together.
和菓子わがしを手土産てみやげにするto bring wagashi as a gift
上じょう司しの家いえを訪たずねるとき、和わ菓が子しを手て土産みやげにした。
When I visited my boss's house, I brought wagashi as a gift.
和わ菓が子し職しょく人にんa craftsman who makes wagashi
彼かれは長なが年ねん和わ菓が子し職しょく人にんとして働はたらいている。
He has worked as a wagashi craftsman for many years.

Kanji

和harmony, Japanese style, peace
菓candy, cakes, fruit
子child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM

Related words

菓か子しN4
菓子 is the general word for sweets or snacks of any kind, while 和菓子 specifically means traditional Japanese-style sweets.

Opposites

洋よう菓が子し
和菓子 refers to traditional Japanese sweets like mochi and dango, while 洋菓子 refers to Western-style sweets like cake and cookies.

Don't confuse with

ケーキN5
和菓子 refers to traditional Japanese sweets, whereas ケーキ refers to Western-style cake, so the two are not interchangeable.

Counted with

個こN5
The all-purpose counter for small discrete objects, used when no more specific counter applies.
品ひんN2
Used when counting wagashi as menu items or assortments (盛り合わせ), rather than as individual pieces.

Word family

和わ菓が子し屋や
Japanese confectionery shop; wagashi store
和わ菓が子し店てん
Japanese-style confectionery store

Built from

和わ+菓か子し

Etymology

Compound of 和 (wa, 'Japanese') + 菓子 (kashi, 'sweets, confectionery'). The term became common in the Meiji period to distinguish traditional Japanese sweets from newly introduced Western-style confectionery.