Phrase guide

bento box

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈbɛntəʊ ˌbɒks/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /ˈbɛnˌtoʊ ˌbɑks/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A partitioned, traditionally lacquered, lunchbox in which a bento (“Japanese takeaway lunch”) is served.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bento

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: box, lunchbox

2

noun

Meaning 2

Synonym of bento (“a Japanese takeaway lunch served in a box”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bento

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: box lunch, lunchbox, packed lunch

History

Etymology

From bento + box. Bento is borrowed from Japanese 弁(べん)当(とう) (bentō, “food to be eaten on the go; takeaway lunch served in a box”).

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 便當盒 /便当盒 (biàndānghé) — partitioned lunchbox in which a bento is served
  • Finnish: bentorasia — partitioned lunchbox in which a bento is served
  • Japanese: 弁当箱 (bentōbako) — partitioned lunchbox in which a bento is served
  • Japanese: お弁当箱 (obentōbako) — partitioned lunchbox in which a bento is served
  • Korean: 도시락 통 (dosirak tong) — partitioned lunchbox in which a bento is served
  • Polish: pojemnik na bentō — partitioned lunchbox in which a bento is served
  • Serbo-Croatian: bento kùtija — partitioned lunchbox in which a bento is served