Even though Japanese has its own native words for many fruits, a lot of the most common fruits you’ll come across are written in katakana.
In this post, I’ve made a list of the 23 most common fruit names you’ll see written in katakana when you’re in Japan.
How do I read katakana? #
If you can’t read katakana yet, you can learn in one week with the Tabikana app! Download the Tabikana app for free on the App Store and Google Play .
Katakana Fruit Names #
Apple
アップル
ℹ️ There is already a native word for apple (ringo), but アップル is still quite common
Avocado
アボカド
Banana
バナナ
Blueberry
ブルーベリー
Cherry
チェリー
Coconut
ココナッツ
Grape
グレープ
ℹ️ The native word budou is more common, but the katakana is often used when referring to juice
Grapefruit
グレープフルーツ
Guava
グアバ
Kiwi
キウイ
Lemon
レモン
Lime
ライム
Lychee
ライチ
Mango
マンゴー
Melon
メロン
ℹ️ This specifically refers to musk melons, the kind with a bumpy light green skin, and not watermelons
Orange
オレンジ
ℹ️ This can also mean the colour, just like in English
Papaya
パパイヤ
Peach
ピーチ
ℹ️ The native word momo is more common, but ピーチ is often used when referring to the flavour
Pineapple
パイナップル
ℹ️ This is sometimes shortened to just パイン
Plum
プラム
ℹ️ The native word ume is much more common, but you may say プラム occasionally
Raspberry
ラズベリー
Strawberry
ストロベリー
ℹ️ The native word ichigo is also common, but ストロベリー is often used when referring to the flavour
Tomato
トマト
ℹ️ Yes, it is technically a fruit!