Translation guide
In Japanese, the word for 'legume' depends on context: whether you mean the plant family, the edible seeds, or the pod. The most common everyday term is 豆 (まめ), which covers beans, peas, and similar seeds. For the botanical family, マメ科 (マメか) is used. When referring to the pod, 豆のさや (まめのさや) or 莢 (さや) is appropriate.
The most common meaning: the seed itself, used in cooking and everyday conversation.
General term for beans, peas, and other legume seeds. Used in daily life for food items.
豆はタンパク質が豊富です。
Legumes are rich in protein.
夕食に豆のスープを作った。
I made bean soup for dinner.
Refers to legumes as a category of food, often used in nutritional or agricultural contexts.
豆類は健康に良い食品です。
Legumes are healthy foods.
The plant family, used in scientific or gardening contexts.
The botanical family name. Often written in katakana as マメ科.
大豆はマメ科の植物です。
Soybeans are plants of the legume family.
Kanji version of マメ科, less common but still used.
豆科の植物は根粒菌と共生する。
Plants of the legume family symbiotically associate with rhizobia.
The pod itself, such as green beans or pea pods.
Literally 'bean pod'. Clear and commonly understood.
豆のさやを取ってください。
Please remove the bean pods.
The botanical term for pod. Can be used alone but often combined with the bean name.
枝豆の莢を塩ゆでする。
Boil edamame pods in salted water.
Referring to legumes in farming, trade, or as a commodity.
Used for legumes as a group in agriculture and economics.
今年の豆類の収穫は豊作だ。
This year's legume harvest is abundant.
Refers to miscellaneous beans other than soybeans, often in agricultural statistics.
雑豆の生産量が増えている。
Production of miscellaneous legumes is increasing.
The direct loanword レギューム is rarely used and may not be understood. Stick to native terms like 豆 or 豆類.