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あんこ Japanese meaning | Kotomora
Common word JLPT N1 Freq. Frequency Top 20,000 Meanings 1
noun
red bean paste ; anko
usually written using kana alone
The familiar sweet paste used in Japanese confectionery, especially made from azuki beans. Often left untranslated as “anko” in food contexts.
。
This anko is not overly sweet.
2
noun
filling ; sweet filling
Refers to the filling inside a confection such as a manju; in practice this is often bean paste, but the focus is on the inside filling rather than the ingredient.
See also: 饅頭
3
noun
stuffing ; padding
An extended use for material packed inside something, like stuffing or padding. For technical or very explicit wording, 詰め物 or 中綿 may be clearer.
Written forms あんこ Usage 79%
Everyday kana spelling; the main food sense is usually written in kana.
餡あん 子こ Usage 15%
Standard kanji spelling, common enough to encounter on labels, menus, and in dictionaries, though kana is very common in ordinary writing.
アンコ Usage 4%
餡あん こ Usage 2%
Mixed kanji-kana spelling; less usual than あんこ or 餡子.
Kanji 子 child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM Similar words 餡あん A shorter and slightly more general word for paste or filling; あんこ is the everyday, familiar word especially for sweet bean paste.
詰つ め 物もの A more explicit general term for stuffing or something packed inside; it is clearer than あんこ for non-food or technical contexts.
中なか 綿わた Specifically refers to inner cotton or padding in items such as cushions and clothing; less casual and more precise than the extended use of あんこ.
Etymology The spelling 餡子 reflects 餡, meaning a paste or filling, plus 子, a common noun-forming element. The exact historical development of the familiar form あんこ is uncertain.
