What does hibachi mean?
Hibachi is a Japanese loanword used in English for a small, usually bowl-shaped charcoal grill, as well as for the style of cooking performed on one. In restaurants, diners may be offered food such as steak, shrimp, scallops, and vegetables cooked over hot charcoal at the table. The term can therefore name the equipment, the culinary technique, or a dining experience organized around that equipment. Hibachi cooking is associated with interactive preparation, quick searing, and the distinctive flavor associated with charcoal. Although often discussed alongside Japanese teppanyaki dining, the words describe different cooking surfaces: a hibachi uses a compact charcoal grill, while teppanyaki uses a flat iron griddle. The word is more natural in culinary and restaurant settings than in general household discussion.
nounA hibachi is a small Japanese charcoal grill, typically a bowl-shaped tabletop cooker. By extension, the term can also refer to a style of cooking in which meat, seafood, and vegetables are prepared on such a grill.
- A small Japanese charcoal grill, usually shaped like a bowl and used for tabletop cooking.
- A style of Japanese cooking in which food is grilled over charcoal on a hibachi.
"The chef grilled scallops and vegetables on a hibachi while guests cooked their own food at the table."
"We ordered salmon and vegetables cooked on the hibachi."
"The restaurant is known for its hibachi-style dinners and interactive cooking."
The standard plural is hibachis.
"Several hibachis were set up along the counter for the guests."
The name literally means "fire bowl" in Japanese, an apt description of the compact grill that gives hibachi cooking its distinctive character.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hibachi come from?
Hibachi comes from Japanese, where it is formed from hi, meaning "fire," and hachi, meaning "bowl" or "chamber." The compound literally evokes a bowl for fire, referring to the traditional charcoal cooker used for Japanese cooking. It entered English as a culinary loanword through the growth of Japanese restaurants and the wider international popularity of hibachi dining.
Related word forms
How hibachi is actually used
The term is especially common in restaurant and culinary contexts. It may refer specifically to the appliance or more broadly to the cooking style, and it is not interchangeable with teppanyaki.
Easily confused with hibachi
A hibachi is a small charcoal grill, whereas teppanyaki refers to cooking on a flat iron griddle, often at a restaurant table.