Translation guide
In Japanese, 'sweet pepper' most commonly refers to the bell pepper (ピーマン). However, the term can also encompass other mild pepper varieties. This guide covers the main Japanese words for sweet peppers, from the everyday green bell pepper to sweeter, colorful varieties.
The most common meaning: the bell-shaped pepper, often green but also red, yellow, or orange, used in cooking.
The standard word for bell pepper in Japanese. It usually refers to the green variety, but can also include colored ones. Derived from French 'piment'.
ピーマンを細切りにしてください。
Please cut the bell pepper into thin strips.
子供はピーマンが嫌いなことが多い。
Children often dislike bell peppers.
Refers specifically to the larger, sweeter, colorful bell peppers (red, yellow, orange). Often used when emphasizing the color or sweetness, or in Western-style dishes.
パプリカは生でサラダに入れても美味しい。
Bell peppers are delicious raw in salads too.
Literally 'sweet chili pepper'. A more technical or descriptive term, sometimes used to distinguish sweet peppers from hot ones. Not common in everyday conversation.
甘唐辛子は辛くない品種です。
Sweet peppers are a non-spicy variety.
Refers to non-bell sweet peppers, such as Italian frying peppers, pimientos, or other mild Capsicum annuum varieties.
A type of long, mild Japanese pepper. Often grilled or stir-fried. Sometimes called 'sweet long pepper'.
甘長唐辛子を焼いて醤油をかけた。
I grilled the sweet long peppers and put soy sauce on them.
A small, mild Japanese pepper. Usually not translated as 'sweet pepper' but sometimes included in the category. One in ten can be spicy.
Not exactly a sweet pepper, but a mild pepper often used in similar ways. Mentioned here because it may appear under broad 'sweet pepper' searches.
ししとうの天ぷらが好きです。
I like shishito pepper tempura.
ピーマン is the everyday word for bell peppers, especially green ones. パプリカ is used for the sweeter, colorful varieties, often in recipes or when emphasizing color. In supermarkets, you'll see both labels.
緑のピーマンと赤いパプリカを買った。
I bought green bell peppers and red bell peppers.
唐辛子 (とうがらし) generally means chili pepper. Adding 甘 (sweet) makes it 'sweet pepper', but ピーマン or パプリカ are much more common in daily life.
炒め物にピーマンを加えました。
I added sweet peppers to the stir-fry.
赤いパプリカはビタミンCが豊富です。
Red sweet peppers are rich in vitamin C.