General term for sugar-based sweets, including hard candies, lollipops, and similar confections. Often used in contrast to chocolate or baked sweets.
My grandmother always gave me candy.
This shop sells colorful sugar candies.
Loanword from English 'candy', often used for Western-style hard candies or lollipops. 砂糖菓子 is a more traditional Japanese term covering a broader range of sugar confections.
General term for snacks and sweets, including baked goods, rice crackers, and chocolate. 砂糖菓子 specifically refers to sugar-based candies.
Compound of 砂糖 (satō, 'sugar') and 菓子 (kashi, 'confectionery, sweets'). The reading がし is a rendaku form of かし.