まな板（まないた、manaita）
- cutting board

The Japanese word まな板, pronounced [まな板] (manaita), refers to a cutting board. It is a kitchen tool used for preparing food, primarily for cutting, chopping, and slicing ingredients. It serves as a protective surface for the countertop and helps keep the knife sharp.

⚫︎ 野菜をまな板の上に置いて切ります。 Translation: I put the vegetables on the cutting board and cut them. ⚫︎ まな板を洗ってから使ってください。 Translation: Please wash the cutting board before using it. ⚫︎ このまな板は木製です。 Translation: This cutting board is made of wood.

You use まな板 when you are talking about the cutting board itself, or when describing the action of cutting food on the cutting board. It’s a common word used in everyday conversation, especially when cooking or talking about kitchen activities. It can be used both formally and informally.

⚫︎ The word is typically written in hiragana as まな板. ⚫︎ However, it is more commonly written in kanji as まな板. ⚫︎ There are no significant variations in the okurigana.

There are no direct synonyms for まな板.

There are no direct antonyms for まな板.

新しいまな板を買いました。 ・Translation: I bought a new cutting board. ・Explanation: This sentence simply states that someone has purchased a new cutting board.

まな板の上で魚をさばきました。 ・Translation: I filleted the fish on the cutting board. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the action of filleting a fish, which was done on the cutting board.

The word まな板 is thought to be derived from the words 真 (ma, meaning "true" or "real") and 板 (ita, meaning "board"). 真 might refer to the actual board used for cutting. Another theory is that it comes from 俎板 (まないた), also written with the same kanji, meaning a chopping block or cutting board.