おにぎり
おにぎり
noun
rice ball
1.
rice ball, onigiri
A Japanese food made from white rice formed into triangular or cylindrical shapes, often wrapped in nori and containing a filling.
おにぎりを握る。
Make rice balls (by shaping with hands).
握る literally means to grip/grasp
コンビニでおにぎりを買った。
I bought a rice ball at the convenience store.
梅干し入りのおにぎりが好きです。
I like rice balls with pickled plum inside.
遠足のお弁当に母がおにぎりを作ってくれた。
My mother made rice balls for my field trip lunch.
手に塩をつけて三角に握り、真ん中に鮭を入れて海苔で巻けば、おにぎりの出来上がりだ。
Wet your hands with salt, shape the rice into a triangle, put salmon in the middle, and wrap it in seaweed, and the rice ball is done.
Also called お結び or 握り飯. Shapes vary by region:
- 三角 (triangle) - most common, standard in Kanto
- 俵型 (cylinder) - common in Kansai
- 丸 (round) - various regions
Common fillings (具):
- 梅干し (pickled plum)
- 鮭/{しゃけ} (salmon)
- 昆布 (kelp)
- 鮪/ツナマヨ (tuna mayo)
- 明太子 (spicy cod roe)
- おかか (bonito flakes with soy sauce)
A portable, affordable food popular for lunch (弁当), picnics, and convenience store snacks. The wrapper (海苔) keeps the rice moist.