賞味期限（しょうみきげん、shoumikigen）
- best-before date

The Japanese word 賞味期限 （しょうみきげん） means "best-before date" or "best-by date." It indicates the date until which a food product is expected to retain its optimal quality, taste, and texture. After the 賞味期限, the quality may gradually decline, but the food is generally still safe to eat, provided it has been stored properly. It is different from a "use-by date," which is for foods that may become unsafe after a certain time.

⚫︎このヨーグルトの賞味期限は来月です。 Translation: The best-before date for this yogurt is next month. ⚫︎賞味期限が切れたお菓子は食べない方がいい。 Translation: It's better not to eat snacks that have passed their best-before date. ⚫︎商品のラベルに賞味期限が記載されています。 Translation: The best-before date is printed on the product label.

You use 賞味期限 when discussing the quality and freshness of food products. It's important to check the 賞味期限 to determine how long a food item is likely to be at its best. It's commonly found on packaged foods like snacks, canned goods, and dairy products. You can also use it to ask questions about the freshness of foods.

賞味期限 is written as follows: ⚫︎ Kanji: 賞味期限 ⚫︎ Hiragana (reading): しょうみきげん There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is standard.

There are no direct synonyms for 賞味期限 in Japanese. However, you might use phrases like: ⚫︎ 品質保持期限 (hinshitsu hoji kigen) - "Quality retention period" (though this is more of a technical term) ⚫︎ 消費期限 (shouhi kigen) - "Use-by date" (but this means something different)

There are no direct antonyms for 賞味期限. The concept of "expired" or "past its prime" is the opposite, but not a specific word to contrast 賞味期限.

このクッキーの賞味期限はいつですか？ ・Translation: When is the best-before date for these cookies? ・Explanation: This sentence directly asks about the best-before date of cookies, a common scenario.

冷蔵庫に、賞味期限が近い食品がたくさんあります。 ・Translation: There are many foods in the refrigerator that are nearing their best-before date. ・Explanation: This sentence describes a situation where one needs to manage food nearing their best-before dates.

The word 賞味期限 is composed of three kanji: ⚫︎ 賞（shou） - "appreciation," "taste," or "enjoyment." ⚫︎ 味（mi） - "taste." ⚫︎ 期限（kigen） - "time limit," or "deadline." Therefore, the literal meaning is "time limit for enjoying the taste," which perfectly reflects its function.