Kobe beef

noun

Ko·​be beef ˈkō-bē- 

-ˌbā-

variants or less commonly Kobe

: highly marbled premium beef from Japanese Wagyu cattle of the Kobe region of southern Honshu that is noted for exceptional tenderness and flavor

Examples of Kobe beef in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Skewers from the vast robatayaki menu include beautifully tender scallops and rich Kobe beef. — Connie Ogle july 31, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026

Signature dishes include succulent cuts of American Black Angus, Australian Wagyu, and Japanese Kobe beef. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026

At the Butcher Shop by Niku, diners can access wagyu and Kobe beef, as well as smashburgers and chicken katsu sandwiches. — Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 16 June 2026

Dining centers on refined kaiseki or traditional Japanese coursed haute cuisine, featuring regional specialties such as meltingly tender Tajima beef (an elite breed of wagyu cattle and the source of Kobe beef) and Matsuba snow crab. — Kelsey Eisen, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Kobe, Japan

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Kobe beef

• cloverleaf
• disbelief
• leitmotif
• overleaf
• unbelief
• belief
• broadleaf
• debrief
• flyleaf
• khalif
• kharif
• longleaf