Why kaidashi?
Updated
買い出しkaidashika · i · da · shi
kaidashi comes from a Japanese word, 買い出し (kaidashi): going out to buy groceries and supplies. It’s often used when you’re shopping for several people or buying in bulk: food for a barbecue with friends, supplies for a camping weekend, or ingredients for a restaurant kitchen.
The word
The first character, 買, means “to buy”: it’s the one in the verb 買う (kau). In Japanese, you say 買い出しに行く (kaidashi ni iku) for “to go out for supplies,” especially when you’re stocking up for your household or for a group.
How to say it
“ka-i-da-shi,” in four beats: “kai” rhymes with “eye,” then “da,” then “shi,” which sounds like “she.” Don’t stress one syllable more than the others.
Why the name fits a shared grocery list
A 買い出し is the shopping you do for everyone. That’s the idea behind kaidashi: the whole household, whether it’s a couple, a family, roommates, or a restaurant team, adds what’s missing to the same list, and whoever heads out knows what to get for everyone. Everyone else sees live what’s already in the cart, and who got it.
One last thing: the name is always written in lowercase, kaidashi.
Who is it for?
- Grocery list for couplesFor two, on both your phones.
- Grocery list for familiesParents, teens, and grandparents on the same list.
- Grocery list for roommatesThe whole apartment, no group chat needed.
- Grocery list for restaurantsYour team, from the wholesaler to the market.
- Grocery list apps comparedkaidashi vs. Bring!, Listonic, OurGroceries, and Google Keep.