肴さかな

さ

か

な

Freq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

noun

snack with drinks; appetizer for alcohol

Food eaten while drinking, often salty or savory. Common in phrases like 酒の肴 (sake no sakana).

このチーズはワインの肴さかなにぴったりだ。
This cheese is perfect as a snack with wine.
居い酒ざか屋やで酒さけの肴さかなをいくつか頼たのんだ。
We ordered several snacks to go with our drinks at the izakaya.

noun

entertainment with drinks; party piece

Only when written 肴

A performance, story, or conversation that enlivens a drinking party. Often used in the phrase 話の肴 (hanashi no sakana). Restricted to the 肴 kanji form.

彼かれの失しっ敗ぱい談だんがいい肴さかなになった。
His story about his blunder made a great conversation piece over drinks.
宴えん会かいで手て品じなを肴さかなに盛もり上あがった。
We had a great time at the party with magic tricks as entertainment.

See all 25 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈物もの〉を肴さかなに飲のむto drink (alcohol) while snacking on/using X as an accompaniment
チーズを肴さかなにワインを飲のんだ。
I drank wine with cheese as a snack.
肴さかなを用よう意いするto prepare snacks to go with drinks
友とも達だちが来くる前まえに、簡かん単たんな肴さかなを用よう意いした。
I prepared some simple snacks before my friend came over.
〈事こと〉を肴さかなに語かたり合あうto chat about X as a topic while drinking
昔むかしの思おもい出でを肴さかなに語かたり合あった。
We drank while chatting about old memories.

Expressions

酒さけの肴さかなsnack or dish served with alcohol; drinking accompaniment
肴さかなにするhave as a side dish with drinks; eat as an accompaniment to alcohol · make fun of; laugh at someone's expense; use as a topic of ridicule

Kanji

肴accompaniment for drinks
酒sake, alcohol
菜vegetable, side dish, greens

Related words

つまみ sense 1
つまみ is the casual everyday word for a drinking snack, while 肴 is a slightly more literary term that can also mean the conversation or entertainment accompanying drinks.
おつまみ sense 1
おつまみ is the polite, common shop/menu word for drinking snacks, whereas 肴 sounds more old-fashioned or literary and covers non-food 'entertainment' as well.
酒しゅ肴こう sense 1
酒肴 is a formal, written compound meaning drinks and snacks together, while 肴 alone just names the food/topic that goes with sake.

Don't confuse with

魚さかなN5
魚 (さかな) means 'fish' and is pronounced identically to 肴 (さかな, a drinking snack or conversation topic), so context alone tells them apart.

Counted with

品ひんN2
Used when referring to individual food items or dishes; there isn’t a single fixed everyday counter for this noun.

Word family

酢す肴ざかな
vinegared appetizer
強しい肴ざかな
side dish to encourage drinking (kaiseki)
祝いわい肴ざかな
celebratory drinking snack; festive accompaniment to alcohol

Written forms

肴さかなUsage67%
Standard kanji spelling for both the food and entertainment senses.
さかなUsage33%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially when the intended sense is clear from context.
酒さか菜な
Rare kanji spelling emphasizing the food aspect; not commonly used.

Etymology

Originally referred to food served with sake. The kanji 肴 combines 魚 (fish) and 有 (exist), reflecting its historical association with fish dishes. The extended meaning of 'entertainment' developed from the idea of something that enhances the drinking experience.