Usage patterns 軽けい 食しょく をとる to have a light meal/snack
I had a light meal before the meeting.
軽けい 食しょく を 済す ませる to finish up with a quick, light meal
I was busy, so I just had a quick snack and went back to work.
軽けい 食しょく を 提てい 供きょう する to serve light meals/refreshments
This café serves light meals from the morning.
Kanji 軽 lightly, trifling, unimportant Related words 間食 focuses on eating something between meals as a habit, while 軽食 emphasizes the light, simple nature of the meal itself and can even substitute for a full meal.
スナック is a loanword for snack foods like chips or candy, whereas 軽食 covers a broader range of light meals such as sandwiches or salads.
軽食 is a native Japanese term for any light meal or snack, whereas ファストフード specifically refers to quickly-served, often Western-style food from chain restaurants.
軽食 means a light meal (like a sandwich for lunch), whereas おやつ specifically means a between-meal snack, often sweet, eaten mid-afternoon.
Etymology Compound of 軽 (light, simple) and 食 (meal, eating). The term has been used since at least the early 20th century to describe light meals or snacks.
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