Tamago is the Japanese word for ‘egg’, explained

What does “tamago” mean in Japanese?

Native speakers say “tamago” to mean ‘egg’ or ‘roe’ in Japanese. Perhaps, some Japanese learners know this word as it is often used in Japanese restaurants, shops, and other places. In this blog post, however, I will explain this word in detail based on its kanji expressions. And also, I will explain how to use it through example sentences. My explanations would help Japanese learners to understand “tamago” more clearly. Then, let’s get started!

Contents

• Definition and meanings of “tamago”
• Tamago in kanji
  • Example #1: how to say “eggs” in Japanese
  • Example #2: another usage of “tamago”
• Summary

Definition and meanings of “tamago”

Let me start with the definition and meanings of “tamago”.

• tamago – 卵/玉子 (たまご) : a noun meaning ‘egg’ or ‘roe’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. Learn more about Japanese plural.

Native speakers use this noun to refer to a shell-surfaced object from which an animal baby comes out. So, its usage is similar to those of the English nouns above, I think.

The definition and meanings are simple and clear. To understand this noun more clearly, however, let me explain its kanji characters in detail, one by one.

Tamago in kanji

The kanji expressions of “tamago” consist of the following kanji characters:

• 卵 : a kanji character used to mean ‘egg’ in Japanese. This especially refers to a raw egg.
• 玉 : a kanji character widely used to mean ‘ball’, ‘sphere’, or such in Japanese.
• 子 : a kanji character widely used as a prefix or suffix to add the meaning of ‘child’, ‘young’, or such. This was used to mean ‘bird egg’ in the old Japanese language. This kanji can also be found in other words like “kodomo“.

From these three kanji characters, we can understand that both “卵” and “玉子” are related to eggs. Interestingly, however, these two expressions work differently. “卵” normally refers to a raw egg; “玉子” refers to a cooked or processed egg. So, we need to pick a proper one depending on the situation.

When we meet new kanji expressions, we should check their kanji characters in detail to understand their meanings clearly and deeply. In many cases, kanji characters tell us a lot about meanings of words they form. Actually, here, we could get the better understanding of “tamago” through the detailed kanji check above.

Then, let me explain how to use “tamago” through the example sentences below.

Example #1: how to say “eggs” in Japanese

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• boku – 僕 (ぼく) : a pronoun meaning ‘I’ in Japanese. This is used mainly by boys and young males.
• wa – は : a binding particle working as a case marker or topic marker. In the example, this works after “boku” to make the subject in the sentence.
• kinou – 昨日 (きのう) : a noun meaning ‘yesterday’ in Japanese. This can also work as an adverb almost anywhere in a sentence. In the example, this works as an adverb to say “yesterday” in Japanese.
• wo – を : a case particle used to make the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “tamago” to make the object in the sentence.
• kat – 買っ (かっ) : one conjugation of the verb, “kau”, which means ‘to buy’ in Japanese. In the example, it has been conjugated for the better connection with its following word.
• ta – た : an auxiliary verb used after a verb, adjective, or auxiliary verb to make its past tense form. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese ta form. In the example, this is used after “kat” to make its past tense form, “kat ta”.

This is a typical usage of “tamago”. In this example, it works as plural and refers to raw eggs. When we want to say “egg” or “eggs” in Japanese, this noun is a very good option.

Example #2: another usage of “tamago”

Below are the new words used in the example sentence.

• kare – 彼 (かれ) : a pronoun meaning ‘he’ in Japanese.
• tamago yaki – 玉子焼き (たまごやき) : a noun meaning ‘Japanese rolled omelette’. This can also work as plural.
• ga – が : a case particle used to make the subject word or the object word in a sentence. In the example, this is used after “tamago yaki” to make the object in the sentence.
• suki – 好き (すき) : one conjugation of the na-adjective, “sukina”, which means ‘favorite’ in Japanese. Native speakers, however, often use this as an individual word to mean ‘to like’ or ‘to love’. In the example, this is used to mean ‘to like’.
• desu – です : an auxiliary verb used after a noun or adjective to make it polite. Probably, this is well known as a part of Japanese desu form. In the example, this is used after “suki” to make it sound polite.

This is another typical usage of “tamago”. In this example, it works as a part of the longer noun, “tamago yaki”, which means ‘Japanese rolled omelette’. “玉子” is a better kanji expression for that.

Summary

In this blog post, I’ve explained the definition and meanings of “tamago” in detail based on its kanji expressions. And also, I’ve explained how to use it through the example sentences. Let me summarize them as follows.

• tamago – 卵/玉子 (たまご) : a noun meaning ‘egg’ or ‘roe’ in Japanese. This can also work as plural. “卵” normally refers to a raw egg; “玉子” refers to a cooked or processed egg. We need to pick a proper kanji expression depending on the situation.
• tamago yaki – 玉子焼き (たまごやき) : a noun meaning ‘Japanese rolled omelette’. This can also work as plural. “玉子” is a better kanji expression for this.

Hope my explanations are understandable and helpful for Japanese learners.