インゲン

イ

ン

ゲ

ン

Freq.FrequencyTop 50,000

Meanings

noun

common bean; green bean

usually written using kana alone

Refers to the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris), especially the immature pods eaten as a vegetable. Often used in compounds like インゲン豆.

Kanji

隠conceal, hide, cover
元beginning, former time, origin

Related words

隠いん元げん豆まめ
Full form meaning 'common bean' or 'kidney bean'; インゲン is the common abbreviation.
さやいんげん
Specifically refers to the pod of the common bean, often used when distinguishing from the dried beans.

Word family

白しろ隠いん元げん
white kidney bean
さやいんげん
green beans; string beans; French beans
ベニバナインゲン
scarlet runner bean

Written forms

インゲンUsage44%
kana-only spelling
Katakana spelling is the most common written form for this vegetable; the kanji 隠元 is rarely used.
いんげんUsage50%
Hiragana spelling is also seen, but katakana is more typical for this plant name.
隠いん元げんUsage7%
Kanji form is etymological and rarely used in modern writing; learners should recognize it but use kana.

Etymology

Named after the Chinese monk Ingen (隠元隆琦, 1592–1673), who is traditionally credited with introducing the bean to Japan. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the name has been associated with him since the Edo period.