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Definition of katsu
katsu
/ˈkɑːt.suː/
kat · su
Plural:katsu
katsu Lexical Profile
CEFR
B2
Grade
6
Tier
2
Usage
Top 10k
• noun
1
A Japanese culinary dish consisting of a piece of meat—typically pork or chicken—that is coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until crisp.
Example
"For dinner, we went to a local Japanese restaurant and ordered chicken katsu with a side of steamed rice and shredded cabbage."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for katsuWord Nuance & Usage
Particularly in Western countries (like the UK), the term 'katsu' is sometimes mistakenly used to refer to the mild curry sauce served with the dish, though the word strictly refers to the breaded and fried meat cutlet itself.
• Rhymes for katsu
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Japanese 'katsu' (カツ), which is a clipping of 'katsuretsu' (カツレツ), a Japanese transliteration (gairaigo) of the English word 'cutlet'.
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Katsu. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/katsu