Translation guide
The English word 'pea' refers to the small round green seed eaten as a vegetable. In Japanese, the most common equivalent is エンドウ豆, but the specific term used depends on the type and preparation. This guide covers the main Japanese words for peas, from the general to the specific, with notes on usage and common dishes.
To refer to peas in general, as a food or plant.
The most common and general term for 'pea' in Japanese. It can refer to the plant, the pod, or the seeds. Often used in cooking contexts.
エンドウ豆のスープを作りました。
I made pea soup.
エンドウ豆は春が旬です。
Peas are in season in spring.
Specifically refers to the round, green, mature seeds, often canned or frozen. Common in Western-style dishes like salads and fried rice.
グリーンピースが苦手な子供は多い。
Many children dislike green peas.
チャーハンにグリーンピースを入れますか？
Do you put green peas in fried rice?
To refer to peas sold fresh in their pods, often eaten pod and all (like snow peas or snap peas).
Literally 'pod pea'. Refers to peas eaten with the pod, such as snow peas. The pod is flat and tender.
サヤエンドウをさっと茹でて、お浸しにしました。
I quickly boiled the snow peas and made ohitashi.
A specific variety of snow pea with a very thin, delicate pod. Often used in traditional Japanese cuisine.
To refer to peas that have been dried and often split, used in soups and dals.
The general term also covers dried peas. Context usually makes it clear.
乾燥エンドウ豆を一晩水に浸けてください。
Soak the dried peas in water overnight.
Literally 'split peas'. Used when specifying the split form, common in imported recipes.
割りエンドウ豆でダルを作ります。
I make dal with split peas.
To refer to the young leaves and tendrils of the pea plant, used as a vegetable.
Specifically pea sprouts, often sold with roots attached and can be regrown. Very common in Japanese supermarkets.
豆苗を炒め物に加えると彩りが良くなります。
Adding pea sprouts to stir-fries improves the color.
エンドウ豆 is the broader term covering all types of peas, including fresh, dried, and podded varieties. グリーンピース specifically refers to the round green seeds, often associated with canned or frozen peas. Use エンドウ豆 when speaking generally or about the plant, and グリーンピース when emphasizing the small green seeds in a dish.
Peas are used in various Japanese dishes. エンドウ豆 is used in 豆ご飯 (peas rice) and 卵とじ (egg-bound dish). サヤエンドウ is common in お浸し (boiled and seasoned vegetables) and 味噌汁. グリーンピース is often found in シュウマイ (shumai dumplings) and チャーハン (fried rice).
Snap peas, a cultivar with a thicker, sweeter pod that is eaten whole. Increasingly popular in Japan.
スナップエンドウは生でも食べられます。
Snap peas can be eaten raw.
Miso soup with kinusaya peas has an elegant flavor.