Japanese for Choosing Rice Polishing at a Neighborhood Rice Shop
Learn to ask how much bran is polished off rice in Japanese, using 精米, 白米, 玄米, 七分づき, 好み, 〜にできますか, and どれがおすすめですか.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
At a small rice shop in Japan, you often choose not just the variety of rice but how much of the bran is polished away. The staff may ask about your 好み (preference), and you can ask whether a certain grade is possible with 〜にできますか. This lesson gives you the core words 精米, 白米, 玄米, and 七分づき, plus the pattern 〜に使います to explain what you will cook, so staff can advise you. You will also learn to ask どれがおすすめですか when you are unsure which grade suits your cooking.
By the end, you can…
- name common rice polishing grades in Japanese.
- ask whether a shop can prepare rice to a certain grade.
- say what I will cook with the rice using 〜に使います.
- ask staff which grade they recommend.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
精米をお願いします。
Please polish the rice. / I'd like rice polishing, please.
sei-mai o o-ne-gai shi-ma-su.
A neutral-polite request at a rice shop when you want the shop to polish brown rice.
玄米から七分づきにできますか。
Can you make it seven-tenths polished from brown rice?
gen-mai ka-ra shi-chi-bu-zu-ki ni de-ki-ma-su ka.
Use 〜にできますか to ask whether a specific polishing grade is possible. Grades vary by shop.
白米に使います。
I will use it as white rice. / I will use it for white rice.
ha-ku-mai ni tsu-ka-i-ma-su.
Use 〜に使います to explain the purpose so staff can suggest a grade.
カレーに使います。
I will use it for curry.
ka-re-e ni tsu-ka-i-ma-su.
A concrete cooking use helps staff recommend a polishing level.
どれがおすすめですか。
Which one do you recommend?
do-re ga o-su-su-me de-su ka.
A polite way to ask for a recommendation among several grades or varieties.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Use 〜にできますか to ask whether something can be done. At a rice shop, put the desired grade before に: 七分づきにできますか (Can you make it seven-tenths polished?). You can also ask 玄米のままにできますか (Can you leave it as brown rice?). The pattern is neutral-polite and works in many shops. Use 〜に使います to say what you will cook: 白米に使います (I will use it as white rice), おにぎりに使います (I will use it for rice balls). This helps staff match the polishing grade to your dish.
When to use it
Use these patterns when you are standing at the counter and the staff asks about your 好み. If you already know the grade, say 七分づきでお願いします (Seven-tenths polished, please). If you are unsure, ask どれがおすすめですか (Which do you recommend?). Then explain your plan: カレーに使います (I will use it for curry). Staff may reply with a suggestion, but exact grades and available options differ by shop, so asking is the reliable approach.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
すみません、精米をお願いします。
Excuse me, please polish the rice.su-mi-ma-sen, sei-mai o o-ne-gai shi-ma-su.はい。玄米ですか。どのくらい削りますか。
Yes. Is it brown rice? How much should we polish off?hai. gen-mai de-su ka. do-no ku-ra-i ke-zu-ri-ma-su ka.七分づきにできますか。カレーに使います。
Can you make it seven-tenths polished? I will use it for curry.shi-chi-bu-zu-ki ni de-ki-ma-su ka. ka-re-e ni tsu-ka-i-ma-su.できますよ。七分づきがおすすめです。
We can. Seven-tenths polished is recommended.de-ki-ma-su yo. shi-chi-bu-zu-ki ga o-su-su-me de-su.A little context goes a long way
In Japan, 精米 refers to polishing brown rice (玄米) into white rice (白米) or partly polished rice. The remaining bran affects texture and how you cook it. Polishing grades such as 七分づき are not standardized across all shops, so it is normal to ask 〜にできますか rather than assume. Neutral-polite forms with です・ます and お願いします are appropriate for a first visit or a shop you do not know well.
One thing to watch for
Saying 白米にできますか when you mean 'Can you make it white rice?' without mentioning the starting point.
Try this instead: If you want to ask about polishing from brown rice, say 玄米から白米にできますか (Can you make it white rice from brown rice?). If you simply want white rice, 白米でお願いします (White rice, please) is clearer.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask whether the shop can make the rice seven-tenths polished?
Show a sample answer
七分づきにできますか。
This uses the target grade plus 〜にできますか. You could also say 七分づきでお願いします if you are ordering rather than asking about possibility.
2You want to explain that you will use the rice for curry. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
カレーに使います。
〜に使います states the purpose. Other valid answers include カレー用です, but カレーに使います directly practices the lesson pattern.
3You are unsure which grade to choose. What polite question can you ask?
Show a sample answer
どれがおすすめですか。
This asks staff for a recommendation. おすすめはどれですか is also natural and polite.
At a rice shop, name the grade you want, ask 〜にできますか if you are unsure it is available, and explain your cooking plan with 〜に使います. When in doubt, ask どれがおすすめですか.
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