Usage patterns 〈 人ひと 〉 に 菓か 子し を 勧すす める to offer someone some sweets
I offered the guest some sweets.
菓か 子し を 作つく る to make sweets/bake confections
On the weekend I made sweets with my kids.
菓か 子し を 配くば る to hand out sweets (e.g. to a group)
The teacher handed out sweets to the whole class.
お 茶ちゃ に 菓か 子し を 添そ える to serve sweets alongside tea
I served the tea with some Japanese sweets on the side.
Kanji 子 child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM Related words スイーツ is a trendy loanword used mainly for stylish Western-style desserts in marketing, while 菓子 is the neutral, all-purpose term covering any Japanese or Western sweet.
甘味 is a somewhat literary or old-fashioned word for sweets, often used for traditional Japanese confections, whereas 菓子 is the everyday general term.
菓子 is the general word for sweets or snacks of any kind, while 和菓子 specifically means traditional Japanese-style sweets.
Don't confuse with 菓子 (confectionery) and 果物 (fruit) share the kanji 果 and are historically related, but 菓子 refers to manufactured sweets while 果物 means natural fruit.
製菓 is the process or industry of making confections, while 菓子 refers to the finished sweets or snacks themselves.
Counted with In everyday speech, 菓子 (sweets/snacks) are often counted with 個 .
For food packed in folded boxes (弁当一折 ).
Word family· 44 sweets; candy; cake; confectionery
traditional Japanese confectionery; wagashi
cheap sweets; penny candy; dagashi
Western-style confectionery; Western sweets
snack food; munchies
Show 13 more Show fewer sweet bread; pastry; baked sweet goods
cake served with tea; teacake
fresh Japanese sweets · fresh Western-style sweets
high-quality Japanese confectionery; fine traditional sweets
main sweet served with thick tea
Kyoto-style confectionery; traditional Kyoto sweets
dry Japanese confectionery; dry Japanese sweets
jelly dessert; jellied sweet · fruit
frozen dessert
heaped cakes for shrine offering
cotton candy; candy floss
traditional Japanese confectionery shop; confectioner
cake box; sweet container
See all 44 in Explore →
Written forms 菓か 子し Usage 96%
Standard kanji spelling. Often used in compounds and with the honorific prefix お .
かし Usage 4%
Kana spelling is common in everyday writing, especially in informal contexts or when the kanji is considered complex.
Etymology 菓子 originally denoted edible fruits and nuts, following the older Chinese sense of 菓子 . Its meaning later expanded to prepared sweets and confectionery.
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