総菜
Meanings
1
side dish; prepared food
Refers to ready-to-eat side dishes, often sold at supermarkets, delis, or prepared at home to accompany rice. Can be a single small dish or collectively refer to an assortment.
I bought some croquettes at the supermarket's prepared food section.
For dinner, we laid out several side dishes my mother had made.
Usage patterns
- 〈物〉を買うto buy prepared side dishes
I bought some prepared side dishes at the supermarket and went home.
- 〈物〉を作るto make side dishes at home
My mother makes various side dishes for us every day.
- 〈物〉を温めるto heat up prepared food before eating
I heated up the prepared side dishes I bought in the microwave.
- 〈場所〉の惣菜コーナーthe prepared-food section (of a store)
The prepared-food section of the department store is always crowded.