しじみ
しじみ
noun
freshwater clam
1.
freshwater clam, corbicula
A small freshwater bivalve commonly used in Japanese cooking, especially in miso soup. Prized for its rich flavor and believed to be good for the liver.
しじみの味噌汁。
Freshwater clam miso soup.
しじみは肝臓に良いと言われている。
Freshwater clams are said to be good for the liver.
宍道湖はしじみの産地として有名だ。
Lake Shinji is famous as a production area for freshwater clams.
KANJI:
Can be written as 蜆, but the hiragana or katakana form is far more common in everyday use.
CULTURAL CONTEXT:
しじみの味噌汁 is a classic Japanese home-cooking dish, often served the morning after drinking alcohol because しじみ is believed to support liver function. 宍道湖 (Lake Shinji) in Shimane Prefecture is Japan's most famous しじみ production area.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- しじみの味噌汁: freshwater clam miso soup
- しじみ汁: clam broth
- しじみの砂抜き: purging sand from clams