Hi, it’s Junko from Japan! The word MOMO has several meanings in Japanese. In this post, I’ll explain the 4 Kanji symbols for MOMO and possible meanings in Japanese.
Momo Meaning 1: Peach
The most common meaning for MOMO is “peach” of fruit. Peaches are produced all over Japan and there are more than 100 breeds of peaches.
Also, one of the most popular Japanese folk tales is titled MOMOTARO, meaning “peach boy.” In March, we celebrate healthy growth for girls and it’s called MOMO NO SEKKU, meaning “peach festival.” Peaches symbolize the power of life in Asian culture, and it’s regarded as auspicious.
Momo Meaning 2: Pink
MOMOIRO is a traditional way of saying “pink” of colors. MOMO alone can be understood. The English word “pink” has become almost a Japanese word, you can say pink the same PINK in Japanese too. I see the word MOMOIRO mainly in written Japanese. In daily conversation, we generally use PINK.
Since it’s a lovely character both in meaning and sound, the Kanji symbol MOMO is popular for girls’ names.
Momo Meaning 3: Hundred
The Kanji symbol for “one hundred” has a reading of MOMO. It’s an old word, and we don’t use this MOMO alone. It’s used for particular words and phrases that represent something with a large number.
Momo Meaning 4: Thigh
This MOMO is for the “thigh” of one’s body. A similar word is FUTOMOMO. FUTO stands for “thick”, and the FUTOMOMO also means “thigh.” I think FUTOMOMO is more common to indicate “thigh.”
In Japanese supermarkets, you’ll see many MOMO-related words such as TORIMOMO or BUTAMOMO. They show the kinds of meat.
“Thigh” Momo Variations
- TORI MOMONIKU: Chicken thigh
- BUTA MOMONIKU: Pork leg
- GYU MOMONIKU: Beef thigh
TORI MOMONIKU is the right way of saying chicken thigh, but we often abbreviate NIKU (meat) and call it just TORIMOMO. So do others. I mean BUTAMOMO for pork leg and GYUMOMO for beef thigh.
If you have any questions, please let me know via comment, and I’ll update the post!
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