駄だ菓が子し

だ

が

し

Common wordFreq.FrequencyTop 20,000

Meanings

1

cheap sweets; penny candy; dagashi

Refers to inexpensive, often retro Japanese snacks and candies, typically sold in small shops or at festivals. The term evokes nostalgia and childhood.

子こ供どものころ、駄だ菓が子し屋やでよく買かい物ものをした。

When I was a child, I often shopped at the dagashi store.

この駄だ菓が子しは一いっ個こ十じゅう円えんだ。

This cheap candy is 10 yen each.

Usage patterns

駄だ菓が子し屋やで〈物もの〉を買かうto buy something at a dagashi shop
子こ供どもの頃ころ、駄だ菓が子し屋やでよく飴あめを買かった。
When I was a kid, I often bought candy at the dagashi shop.
〈場ば所しょ〉で駄だ菓が子しを売うるto sell dagashi at a place
この店みせでは昔むかしから駄だ菓が子しを売うっている。
This shop has been selling dagashi since long ago.

Kanji

駄burdensome, pack horse, horse load
菓candy, cakes, fruit
子child, sign of the rat, 11PM-1AM

Related words

お菓か子しN4
お菓子 is the general, polite word for any snack or sweet, while 駄菓子 specifically means cheap, nostalgic candies sold in small shops or at festivals.
スナック菓子がし
スナック菓子 refers to modern packaged snacks like potato chips, whereas 駄菓子 implies old-fashioned, low-cost Japanese treats with a nostalgic feel.

Don't confuse with

駄だ菓が子し屋や
駄菓子屋 is the shop itself, while 駄菓子 refers to the cheap candies and snacks sold inside it.

Counted with

個こN5
counter for small objects; counter for pieces · counter for military units · individual; one person · counter for years of age difference; counter for school years

Word family

駄だ菓が子し屋や
cheap candy store; penny candy shop

Built from

駄だ+菓か子し

Etymology

Compound of 駄 (da, 'low-grade, cheap') and 菓子 (kashi, 'sweets, confectionery'). The term has been used since the Edo period to describe inexpensive, everyday sweets.