Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 に 弁べん 当とう を 作つく る to make a boxed lunch for someone
My mother makes me a bento every morning.
弁べん 当とう を 持も って 行い く to bring a boxed lunch along
I brought a bento with me on the picnic today.
弁べん 当とう を 注ちゅう 文もん する to order a boxed lunch
I ordered bento boxes in advance for the meeting.
弁べん 当とう を 配くば る to hand out boxed lunches
The staff handed out bento boxes to the participants.
Kanji 辨 discrimination, dispose of, distinguish Related words 弁当 is the full, standard word for a box lunch; 弁 is a casual clipped form used in compounds like 駅弁 .
弁当 is the general term for a boxed lunch, while 駅弁 specifically means one bought at a train station, often featuring local specialties.
Don't confuse with 弁当 is a complete boxed meal with rice and sides, while 惣菜 refers only to the individual prepared side dishes sold separately.
弁当 is a packed lunch that an individual brings or buys, whereas 給食 is a meal collectively provided by an institution like a school.
Word family· 18 bringing one's own lunch; self-catered · volunteer work; unpaid work
bento; Japanese box lunch
lunch money; money for a boxed lunch
bento shop; lunch vendor
lunch box; bento box
Show 6 more Show fewer lunchbox worn at the waist; low-paid office worker
wrapped lunch; lunch package
bringing one's own lunch
man who makes his own lunch to take to work
lunchbox lovingly made by one's wife
catered box lunch; box lunch for delivery
See all 18 in Explore →
Written forms 弁べん 当とう Usage 97%
Standard modern kanji spelling.
べんとう Usage 3%
辨べん 當とう Usage <1%
out-dated kanji form
Old kanji form using 辨 and 當 ; not used in modern Japanese.
ベントウ Usage <1%
弁べん 當とう
out-dated kanji form
Mixed old/new kanji form; obsolete.
辨べん 当とう
out-dated kanji form
Mixed old/new kanji form; obsolete.
Etymology From Chinese 便當 (biàndang, 'convenient'), later adapted in Japanese to refer to a portable meal. The kanji 弁 is a simplified form of 辨 .
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