Sushi bar words

Words you may hear at the counter or see on the menu, with how to read them.

シャリ shari

Sushi rice (seasoned with vinegar)

ネタ neta

The topping on the rice: fish and more

ガリ gari

Sweet pickled ginger

アガリ agari

Hot green tea at a sushi restaurant

ムラサキ murasaki

Soy sauce (sushi-bar slang)

サビ sabi

Wasabi. 'Sabi-nuki' means without wasabi

煮切り nikiri

Soy sauce blended with mirin and sake, brushed onto nigiri

つめ tsume

Thick, sweet reduced sauce for conger eel and others

光り物 hikarimono

Silver-skinned fish such as kohada, aji and saba

白身 shiromi

White-fleshed fish such as sea bream and flounder

軍艦 gunkan

Rice wrapped in seaweed with toppings like ikura or uni — 'battleship' sushi

炙り aburi

Lightly seared on the surface with a torch or charcoal

漬け zuke

Fish marinated in soy sauce, often tuna

昆布締め kobujime

Fish cured between sheets of kelp for extra umami

おまかせ omakase

Leaving the selection to the chef

お好み okonomi

Ordering piece by piece as you like

一貫 ikkan

The counter word for nigiri — one or two pieces, depending on the shop

時価 jika

Market price, set by that day's purchase

お通し otoshi

A small starter at izakaya, usually charged as a seating fee

活き造り ikizukuri

Sashimi cut from a live fish and arranged in the shape of the fish

踊り食い odorigui

Eating tiny fish, such as shirouo, while still alive

煮付け nitsuke

Fish simmered in sweet soy sauce

たたき tataki

Seared on the outside and raw inside (as with bonito). For aji, it means raw fish finely chopped

白子 shirako

Fish milt. In winter it is usually from cod (tachi) or fugu; creamy and rich. A menu that just says shirako may mean either, so ask which fish

Seasons shift with the weather and the catch each year. Ask the restaurant what is in today.