献立

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: The spelling is 献立, read こんだて, and it is a noun for the selection and arrangement of dishes served at a meal or over a period.
• Basic usage: The basic sense of 献立 is a menu or meal plan specifying which dishes will be prepared and served.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• The composition of a meal rather than one dish
  • Both examples use the form 献立. It refers to the overall selection of dishes for a meal or span of days, not merely the name of one item.
• A week of dinners and today's cafeteria menu
  • 一週間分の夕食の献立を考えました。 — I planned a week's worth of dinners.
  • 食堂の入口に今日の献立が書いてあります。 — Today's menu is written at the cafeteria entrance.