Meanings
nounizakaya (countable and uncountable, plural izakaya or izakayas)
plural izakayas
- countableuncountableA Japanese bar that also sells snacks.
The sprawling multipage menu offers cleanly executed dishes meant to accompany the sake, including standards like boiled edamame, and the filling rice balls called onigiri that you would expect at any izakaya, or Japanese pub.
2007 January 28, “Island Within an Island”, in New York Times - countableinformaluncountablebusinessA Japanese restaurant outside of Japan; used in the naming or styling of the restaurant.
Origin
Borrowed from Japanese 居(い)酒(ざか)屋(や) (izakaya).
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Cantonese 居酒屋
- 居酒屋 (geoi¹ zau² uk¹)a Japanese bar that also sells snack
Chinese Mandarin 居酒屋
- 居酒屋 (jūjiǔwū)a Japanese bar that also sells snack
French izakaya
- izakayaa Japanese bar that also sells snack
Japanese 居酒屋
- 居酒屋 (izakaya)a Japanese bar that also sells snack
Korean 이자카야
- 이자카야 (ijakaya)a Japanese bar that also sells snack
Russian идзака́я, изака́я
- идзака́я (idzakája)a Japanese bar that also sells snack
- изака́я (izakája)a Japanese bar that also sells snack
Cite this entry
APA
izakaya. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/izakaya
MLA
“izakaya.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/izakaya. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “izakaya,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/izakaya.
Source: izakaya on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.